A Madman and His Mews (Muse)
by TicklishNatasha
Summary: Continuation of AShinigamiToDIEFor's story Hatter's New Kitten under a new title. (adopted story) Main pairing: GrellxUndertaker
1. A Last Resort

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kuroshitsuji or the extra characters that were added by AShinigamiToDIEFor (Eric Slingby as the Walrus and Alan Humphries as the Carpenter). The only thing I own is the basic plot of the fanfiction starting at this point and all OC characters that appear later on that I created myself. Thirdly, I do not own any details of A Nightmare Before Christmas's main character Jack Skellington; I merely used him as inspiration for one of my OC characters' appearances**

 **From here on out, the fanfiction Hatter's New Kitten will be continued under the new title: A Madman and His Mews. It's just a title I came up with and is meant to be a cat pun with 'mews' replacing 'muse'. Although you could interpret it as a way of describing the relationship between Undertaker and Grell...seeing as how the Cheshire cat inspires the Mad Hatter to be genuinely happy. Either way, I just like the name**

 **Also, from here on out...the story is uniquely mine because I'm using my ideas to continue it. To reiterate: I'm only claiming credit for the fanfiction as of this chapter and so on...all the rest that came earlier belongs to AShinigamiToDIEFor and he had also given me permission to adopt the story when I asked him on his dA account under the name DarylsChupacabra**

 **Warning: contains strong language, implied past abuse, brief violence, blood, hints of depressive mindset**

Walking along the path, Hatter's steps were somewhat slow; he hurried to get home because, logically he knew that despite being a man, getting stuck in the middle of the forest at night could still be dangerous...and yet...he loathed the very idea because it meant the possibility of returning to an empty house. A part of him started to wonder if it would really be so bad that some random creature of the night were to get lucky and fell the silver haired male?

The thought was disregarded as quickly as it had entered Undertaker's mind.

A short while later, Hatter's intermittent pace brought him close to reaching the gate that led to his property. He slowed down even more, clinging to the hope of uncertainty as to whether or not the Cheshire cat would have come back. It was bittersweet and not entirely realistic, but hope was one of the few things Hatter still had nowadays.

The Mad Hatter was literally almost out of the woods when a dark figure suddenly jumped down from nowhere and landed right in front of him. Undertaker was so focused on his own situation that the strangers' appearance actually somewhat startled him causing the man to fall backwards onto the ground.

"My apologies, Señor; I did not mean to frighten you" the figure spoke softly, extending a hand. From their voice, Undertaker knew it was a woman standing over him; she also had an accent that indicated she likely wasn't from around here. However, this wasn't exactly a useful clue in determining where the woman was from originally since the Caterpillar, the Mushroom, the Duchess and his cook all had accents that didn't quite match with the rest of Wonderlands' citizens. "Are you alright?" the woman asked. Hatter didn't reply, but took the offered hand and was helped back onto his feet.

Clouds parted overhead allowing moonlight to shine through, illuminating the shadow covered land below. Hatter was rendered speechless at the sight before him; he had parted his bangs out of his eyes to get a clear view of whoever stood in front of him. The woman had long black hair that reached halfway down her back and clad in a Gothic style black suit with white vertical pinstripes and matching plain, black heels. Under her jacket was a white blouse and a simple black bow tie adorned her neck with an orange citrine pumpkin shaped stone in the center. But what stuck out the most was her face: pale like the moon, plump black lips, soft violet eyes, all complimented well with facial features that resembled a skeleton.

"Pardon the question; I didn't recognize at first that you are perhaps the furthest from alright that anyone possibly can be" she stated, staring into his eyes for a moment. "How perceptive of you" replied Hatter, flatly. Sidestepping around her, Hatter continued on the path toward his house. "You should know...that la gata of yours _will_ return to you...in time". "Arrogant bitch...who are you to say-" Hatter had begun to shout, but froze mid-sentence when he spun on his heel and saw the woman had vanished into thin air. Confusion and weariness overtook outrage at that moment; Undertaker kept walking back home and ignored the encounter all together.

Over the next few days, Hatter was steadily sinking back into his old feelings of loneliness...only now, it was much worse since the silverette had known true love and subsequently lost it for whatever reason that was unknown to him. His energy, his passion for life and all desire to engage in the world were missing as well; Undertaker now preferred to stay shut up inside his house and wait for his precious feline lover.

Finally, the Dormouse had had enough and was getting ready to drag his friend out - kicking and screaming, if necessary - when the front door suddenly opened and Undertaker emerged of his own volition.

"What timing, Hatter" the Dormouse began, "I was just about to go in there and pull you out by force!" His tone was half joking, half serious. Undertaker said nothing... _did_ nothing, except step outside and close the door behind him. As he walked toward the gate, Ronald followed beside him and tried talking to the silver haired male. "Hatter, what the hell is going on; you've been acting like a hermit for the better part of a week and now, all of a sudden you just pop out as if everything's normal?" Hatter stopped at the gate and without turning to face him, replied, "I had hoped I wouldn't have to resort to this, but I see no other recourse...I'm off to see the Red Queen". Those seven dreaded words hung in the air like a thick fog and left the mouse dumbstruck. Everyone that knew him well was fully aware of how much Hatter despised the Red Queen...so for him to willingly go to her for ANYTHING told Ronald how desperate the Hatter was becoming. After walking through the gate, Hatter stopped a few feet away and looked to the side as if waiting for something.

Within no time at all, a pink carriage screeched to a halt on the road; the driver greeted him with a sympathetic frown. The door opened and from what Dormouse could see, there were three people inside: the Frogman, the Flamingo and the Fish Footman. Ronald also noted that the man up front holding the horses' reigns was the Hedgehog Man.

"Oi, Hatter; long time no see!" the Footman greeted with a wave. "Bardroy, Mey-Rin, Finnian" Undertaker acknowledged the trio and climbed into the carriage without another word. The door closed and just before departing, Tanaka turned to Ronald and spoke to him, "Fear not, Mr. Knox; he'll be quite safe with us". Snapping the reigns, the horses took off and the group of five left for the Red Queen's castle.

[The queen's castle - a few days earlier]

Grell had long since fallen asleep as expected, dried tear tracks on his cheeks. However, despite looking every bit the picture of a peacefully slumbering kitty...the cats' mind was quite active. He thought about all the events that had occurred since first arriving to the Red Queen's palace. At first, she seemed nice and even cared for the Cheshire cat...but as time passed, Madam Red started to show her true nature in little ways; the incident at the hospital being one of the more recent ones. One of his hands went to the back of his head and absently rubbed at the spot where the queens' hand had connected to his skull. And that expression on her face...it reminded the redhead all too well of what others had done to him in the past.

'... _worthless_... _freak_... _disgusting_...'

Those words repeated themselves in his head, once spoken by a past mate at some point. His ears twitched in agitation and fresh tears began welling up in his eyes, threatening to spill out.

Suddenly, the mean voices faded out until they ceased completely; at first, it was quiet...' _I can't fathom that no one would give you a true home_ ; _you're clearly a very sweet cat_...' a familiar voice echoed, breaking the silence.

'... _I adored you before I even got to know you_... _I love you Grell_...'

The Cheshire cats' eyes shot open; 'enough feeling sorry fur myself; my leg's all better and I'm sick to death of letting people mistreat me' Grell thought determinedly to himself. Standing up from the bed, Grell yanked the ostentatious collar from around his neck and tossed it aside, not caring at all if it got damaged. Going over to the door, he grabbed the knob to open the door...only for it to remain closed. Using all his strength, Grell pulled as hard as he could to get the door to budge; unfortunately, it had been locked at some point. 'Damn, I'll try the balcony window'. Crossing the room, he reached out to open the large glass doors and to his relief, they were unlocked. Walking onto the balcony, Grell went straight for the railing and peeked over to see how far it was from the ground. "Too far to jump, even for me; I'll just have to float" murmured Grell, under his breath after assessing the approximate distance. The cat climbed onto the railing and mentally prepared himself for what he was about to attempt. Once he was a couple inches in the air, Grell went over the ledge and slowly drifted down.

The redhead landed on his feet with all the grace and agility of his species; opening his eyes, Grell took a quick look around to make sure no one was nearby. Confirming that the coast was clear after also not picking up any suspicious scents or sounds, Grell's mind flooded with a whole slew of thoughts regarding his current situation.

' _A carnivore like you does not belong here_ ; _that_...creature... _has to go_... _this is our home, not yours_ ' Williams' voice sounded off in his head repeating a few of the things he'd said to the cat.

'William can go to hell for all I care; I refuse to let some long eared bastard keep me from my rightful place with Hatter!'

Grell immediately came up with the idea of seeking out help from Hatter's friends Alan and Eric for backup in order to confront the Hare; after which, Grell would explain everything that had happened to him to Undertaker. 'I just hope Adrian isn't too angry with me for running away' Grell sadly mused to himself. With that last pondering, Grell sprinted forward keeping to the shadows to avoid possible detection and make a successful egress.

It didn't take very long at all for him to reach the rose garden; all that was left for Grell to do was get through the garden and then disappear into the town until morning. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done...the rose garden was more like a maze given how elaborate it was and thus complicating the cats' plans significantly. "Guess I'll just keep going straight till I hit a dead end".

About ten minutes passed and the Cheshire cat had gotten lost...again. After walking straight ahead for a couple of paces, he had come to a fork and turned right; this direction took him all the way to a dead end, resulting in Grell having to turn around and go back to the fork, this time going left. The feline wound up going back and forth all over the place, eventually stopping in the middle of what looked like a clearing. "What's a kitten gotta do to find a way out of some stupid rose bushes?" the cat hissed irritably to open air. Grell was so distracted by his current predicament that he failed to notice the presence of another person in the garden.

He was just about to float over the whole thing when something connected with his head causing the cat to fall limply to the ground unconscious. The figure was almost completely hidden by the dark; only a pair of red eyes could be clearly seen, staring down at the Cheshire cat.

When Grell started coming to, everything was blurry; whether it was from his head injury or that his glasses not being on his face, he wasn't sure. "Naughty puss; this was VERY expensive and you've gone and broken it". As soon as the voice reached his ears, Grell tried to find where the owner was, but all he could make out were fuzzy, dark shapes in the room. The clicking of heels alerted him that the Red Queen was approaching him; she pushed those red frames back into place, allowing Grell to see clearly again. "But no matter; I have a new collar for you" she chirped in a sickly sweet tone.

Madam Red made to secure the collar around Grell's neck; the redhead wasn't having any of that and tried to move away from her, but quickly found that his efforts yielded no results. "I wouldn't waste my energy if I were you...I think you'll find it quite impossible to move an inch with the special restraints I have put on you" the queen boasted cruelly.

One of the few things he could still do was turn his head side to side and to his confusion, Grell saw no restraints of any kind that were holding him down. And yet, somehow the sensation of being tied up was present in his body. From what he could see, the 'new' collar in the queens' hand was a simple black strap with a minimalist pattern on the outside and a heart shaped metal tag attached to it.

"I bet you're wondering how you can be trussed up without any ropes or manacles. Well, I shall tell you..." the woman trailed off, walking over to the head of the bed, "a little trick I picked up from an old friend of mine". Angelina produced a doll that slightly resembled Grell, but otherwise possessed ambiguous physical features. The doll also had what looked to be about a foot of rope wrapped around its body. "A few strands of hair, a bit of research and voilà: a voodoo icon to keep my sweet little kitty in line" came the Red Queen's cheery explanation. Grell shot her a nasty look, much to Angelina's dismay when she placed a hand on his head. "Fret not, Grell; I didn't cut one lock of this pretty red mane of yours...I merely collected the shed pieces that you left lying around". Placing the doll on the bedside table, Madam Red proceeded with putting on the collar; the most Grell could do was twist his neck back and forth in a weak attempt at avoiding the horrid accessory.

After a few tries, the queen managed to get it around his neck, but just as she began to pull her hands back...Grell leaned forward as much as he could and bit down hard on the appendage.

"Fuck!" the queen shouted, clutching her bloody hand to her chest. The Cheshire cat glared at her, a ghost of a smirk on his face at his successful act of retaliation. "I will deal with you later; I must attend to my wound" Madam Red seethed to the feline, her eyes narrowed into slits. Madam Red exited the room at a brisk pace, presumably somewhere in the castle where she could clean and dress the bite mark.

"Serves that bitch right" Grell muttered under his breath.

The cat spent the rest of the night in a fitful sleep; the doll was still 'tied up' meaning that Grell was unable to even shift into a comfortable position to rest.


	2. The Red Queen Sympathizes

**Warning: contains language and a maniacal monarch...also 'la gata' is Spanish for 'cat'**

* * *

The ride to the Red Queen's palace was spent in an awkward silence; Mey-Rin, Finny and Bard knew all about Hatter's situation and thus, neither of them wanted to upset the man by saying the wrong thing.

Finally, the older blond broke the quiet tension with a question when they were roughly half way to their destination.

"Hatter...what exactly do ya plan ta do once you get in ta see the queen?"

At first, the silverette said nothing in reply and stared out the window at nothing in particular. After a minute or two, he turned his head to the gruff footman, "Ask for her help; simple as that". "What about the fact that you two have a...history together; what will you do if she refuses?" "BARD!" Finny and Mey-Rin chastised in unison. "What, I'm just bein' realistic here" the blue clad man defended. "Well screw your realism; you're makin' it worse!" Mey-Rin scolded her friend with a glare, half hidden by her large glasses. "Look Hatter, in my opinion...the queen's good to her subjects in need, even the ones that have a less than cordial rapport with her; just act like a gentleman and I'm sure she'll say yes" added Finny, optimistically. "I appreciate the vote of confidence Finnian. And in all honesty Bardroy, I'd do just about anything to get my kitten back; hell, I'll even get down on my hands and knees and beg that crimson witch. I really don't care anymore".

"Oh, uh...o-kay; sorry I asked" Bard muttered, looking anywhere but in the Hatter's direction. Silence settled once again inside the carriage for the remainder of the trip.

When the carriage was almost at the palace, another question from Bard was posed to Hatter. "You want us ta come in with ya, mate?" "Perhaps just one of you...at the very least" Hatter replied in an uncharacteristically monotone voice. Once the carriage stopped, Tanaka hopped down from the drivers' seat and opened the door for Hatter. "You three, stay here with the horses; Undertaker and I shouldn't be long with visiting the queen" the older male firmly instructed. "Sir, yes sir!" the trio shouted obediently, saluting. Stepping out of the carriage, Hatter was led by Tanaka toward the front entrance of the Red Queen's castle.

"Everything will work out as it should in time, Hatter" came Tanaka's wise and comforting words to the younger silverette. The Mad Hatter's head snapped upward at those particular words; that was exactly what the mysterious raven had told him...

' _that la gata of yours will return to you_... _in time_ '

"How curious" Undertaker said to himself aloud; Tanaka had heard the man speak and inquired as to what he was referring. "What's curious, Hatter?" "Just something I heard from someone else; a woman wearing a black tuxedo with white pinstripes managed to get the jump on me when she fell from the sky". "I see; that _is_ rather curious. Were there any other distinguishing characteristics about this woman?" "Long black hair, violet eyes, face like a skeleton and she had an unusual accent: possibly some type of Spanish tongue, but I can't be certain". "Interesting...what did she say to you specifically?" "After a few pleasantries, she told me and I quote, 'you should know...that la gata of yours _will_ return to you...in time". "What do you think she meant by that? Have you seen this woman before?" Undertaker asked.

Tanaka hesitated, pretending to think over the query; "Ho, ho, ho...I'm sorry, but I couldn't begin to tell you anything about that. It might have even been your imagination that caused you to see this 'woman in black and white". Adrian's hopes fell slightly at this statement. "I suppose so; it _was_ quite late at night when it happened. And I haven't been in my right mind...more than usual, I mean". The two men continued onward without any more words exchanged. 'I hate keeping you in the dark Adrian, but I made a promise and I intend to keep it' thought Tanaka, concerned.

"Oh my, what a pleasant surprise: two of my subjects come to visit at once~!" the Red Queen chirped excitedly in greeting upon seeing the two silver haired men standing in the foyer. "Your Majesty, it is a pleasure to meet with you this day" Tanaka greeted with a bow. "Unfortunately, the Mad Hatter and I are not here solely for a social visit". "Is anything wrong?" the queen asked with a hint of worry in her voice. "Someone important to Hatter has gone missing and all efforts so far have yet to yield any results or clues as to his location". The queen gasped in alarm, covering her mouth with both hands. "Well don't just stand there; come in and the three of us can discuss this in depth over tea and cake" Madam Red got out, ushering Undertaker and Tanaka toward a room in the castle where they could talk.

One of the guards had brought in refreshments to the parlor where the Hatter, Hedgehog and the Queen gathered for their conversation. Tanaka had been the one to relay all the details he knew of to Angelina out of consideration for Undertaker. All the while, the green eyed silverette sat in silence and not really paying attention to what was being said.

A hand on his shoulder snapped Hatter out of his daze; he looked over to see Tanaka and Madam Red shooting him concerned glances. "That is quite a tale you've woven; losing your lover like that, I can scarcely imagine what you must be going through". "How could you be privy to that bit of information; we never specified Undertaker's relationship with Mr. Sutcliff" asked Tanaka evenly, the barest touch of suspicion lacing his words. Undertaker directed his gaze to the queen, somehow being able to maintain a neutral affect. "Well, just look at him! He hasn't dumped half the sugar bowl in his teacup or exhibited any other of his usual behavior since he got here. I think it's glaringly obvious that this person you are referring to is more than a mere friend to Undertaker" the queen quickly prattled off.

"Anyway...Undertaker, I know we've had our differences in the past...but I'd like very much to help you find your missing companion. "And how exactly do you intend to do that?" asked Undertaker, in a neutral tone.

The Hatter didn't completely trust the Red Queen to hold to her word, yet at the same time, he really had no other choice.

"First of all, I have a very special item that will point you in the direction you need to go. If you'll follow me..." the queen trailed off, standing up from her seat and exiting the parlor. Hatter followed suit; Tanaka remained seated and called out, "I shall be right here if you require my assistance". Giving him a nod to show he heard the older man, Hatter allowed the Red Queen to lead him down a hallway, keeping a small distance between them in case there was a trap set up. However, what Hatter didn't know is that he already fell into Angelina's trickery, disguised as sympathy.

"Here we are!" Madam Red exclaimed, stopping at an all black door painted with red and white question marks. "This is the room where I keep peculiar objects; instead of throwing them away, they go here in case an opportunity arises that the item in question is needed". Producing a key from her pocket, she unlocked and opened the door; inside were several shelves filled with items that appeared to come from all over. Madam Red stood off to the side expectantly; Hatter remained where he was in front of the open doorway. "Aren't you going in? You are my guest, after all". "Ladies first" Undertaker said with a bow, gesturing to the door. "Such a gentleman" the queen curtly replied, walking through and entering the room. She led them all the way to the other end; in the center, a pedestal sat under a spotlight as if showcasing a piece of antiquity. Picking it up, she handed the object to the Hatter.

"A compass? What good will this do me if I have no idea where to look?" "Ah, but this is no ordinary compass Hatter. For it has unique properties that guide a person to what they want most. Hatter was in awe at this description, but the nagging feeling in his gut told him it seemed too good to be true. Angelina sensed his hesitance and gave him a reassuring grin. "You're skeptical at its ability; I completely understand. Allow me to give you a demonstration". She cleared her throat and spoke aloud, holding the compass out in front of her. "I want my palace guard, the Six of Hearts".

The arrow began spinning in a full circle before stopping, pointing straight ahead; the queen led Hatter back out of the room and in the new direction the arrow pointed to, which was left.

After a few minutes of going wherever the compass directed them, they found the Six of Hearts in the kitchen making a red velvet cake. "See, right where I asked it to take us...are you convinced?"

The guard turned to look at whoever was talking; upon discovering it was the queen, he halted in his work and about faced to address her majesty. "Did you require something my queen?" "No, no; just showing a guest something, is all. As you were" the queen stated, waving a hand dismissively to the man. He went back to his cooking while the other two exited the kitchen.

"That was impressive, yes...but what do you want for it?" "Still don't trust me, Hatter?" asked Angelina, in a tone of mock hurt. "It isn't that my lady" _(I can't trust you as far as I can throw you)_..."I just can't shake the feeling there may be a catch to such a generous gesture". Letting out a sigh, the queen said, "Okay, you caught me...there _is_ a catch". Behind his bangs, Hatter gave the queen a knowing glare, but kept his features neutral.

"The instructions are in a language I've never come across before". The Red Queen closed the lid and turned it over, revealing strange symbols on the bottom of the compass. "At least, I'm pretty sure these are instructions" she said, tapping a red nail to the flat surface. "I'll even give you a way to travel since I have no doubt it will take you across at least _one_ major obstacle". Closing her hands over Hatters' own as they held the compass, the queen gave him a serious look.

"Believe it or not, I understand what you're going through Hatter" she told him, solemnly. "How so, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Well, years ago I had someone that was close to MY heart; a person that I loved and cared about so deeply as I'm sure you feel towards your lost kitten. But life can be cruel and so...one day, I discovered that my beloved was gone. Taken from me far too soon by what I can only describe as unimaginable". The queen started crying as she recounted painful memories of the past.

Hatter had never seen this side of the Red Queen before, but he could tell there was nothing but sincerity in her words.

"Thank you; I appreciate your help" Hatter said, tucking the compass into his coat pocket.

The Red Queen had escorted Hatter back to where they left Tanaka; after being made aware of the current situation, the pair departed from the castle and headed for Hatter's crypt in the woods so he could pack for the journey he was about to take.

Back at the castle, the Red Queen was standing outside next to a small airship with a couple of her card guards. "Are you ready Hatter?" the queen asked cheerfully. "As I'll ever be". Climbing aboard via a ladder, the guards released the ropes holding it down and backed away as it started to float upwards. "Good luck!" the queen shouted to Hatter, waving. Hatter gave a short wave back in reply and pulled out the compass from his jacket. "Take me to my kitten". The needle spun in four full circles and stopped, pointing north; Hatter directed the ship north and proceeded to fly away in that direction.

* * *

"Your majesty; permission to ask a question". "Granted; go ahead". "Where exactly will that compass take Hatter; I thought you made it quite clear it was broken". The queen turned to her guards with a malicious smirk that could rival the Jokers' sinister grin. "It _is_ ; why do you think I gave it to him for nothing? And to be perfectly honest...I really don't care where that crazy, sugar-obsessed bastard ends up". The Red Queen began to laugh at imagining Undertakers' reaction to discovering the broken instrument and instantly morphed into the maniacal laughter of a madwoman while her guards just stood in silence, noting another reason why no one crosses the queen.


	3. The Black King

**Author's Note: Lagomorph is an order of animals and Leporid is one of the families that rabbits and hares belong to.**

 **Warning: contains language, brief mention of blood and unintentional physical harm**

 **Spanish Translations: Conejo (rabbit), Liebre (hare), Bastardo (bastard), Premonición (premonition)**

* * *

A few days went by since Hatter left Wonderland to search for his lost kitten. Immediately, there was a change in his whole demeanor; his usual energy and muchness seemed to return to the silver haired man a little more each day. And charting the ship to go whichever direction the compass pointed kept him busy both physically and mentally. The Mad Hatter was given to hope again: hope that he would find that beautiful redhead that had stolen his heart, hope that he'd regain his vigor and passion for life and even hope that the Hare could one day get past his fear and prejudice of cats and accept Grell for who he is.

A few hours passed with no trouble; Hatter was currently asleep in a hammock while the airship continued forward, having been set to automatic flight. However, unbeknownst to the Mad Hatter...the compass was taking him to a land far different from his home back in Wonderland...a land made up of ice and snow. And so deep in slumber was he, that the Hatter didn't even realize the ship was slowly beginning to sink due to the steadily dropping temperature. Eventually the entire vessel was falling out of the sky and landed in a snow bank; the force of the impact had been enough to rouse Hatter awake and soon...he would become aware of a most unfortunate discovery.

(Wonderland - a few days earlier)

It was another quiet day over at the Hares' den, his life was relatively back to normal ever since he'd successfully chased away that predator...only now, it had been ages since the last tea time and his routine was completely disrupted. Hare noted that Hatter had changed after his kittens' 'disappearance' and despite the two of them still being on less than friendly terms, the brunette would frequently check in to see if the man finally snapped out of his sulking and returned to normal...well, whatever was 'normal' for _him_. Alas, this was not the case.

It wasn't that he all of a sudden started caring for Hatter, but William was a lagomorph of habit and this whole ordeal was an irritating interference in his life. The brunette absolutely did _not_ miss that feline loving loon. However, another disconcerting change was the fact that the Dormouse now completely avoided him and whenever they _did_ manage to cross paths, Ronald never spoke a word to Will...only sending him a searing death glare before going back to whatever the mouse may have been doing or whoever else he was interacting with. That was another thing of note: Ronald's uncharacteristic anger towards William. He knew of Hare's feelings in regard to the cat and freely expressed his thoughts out loud, but lately...the Dormouse seemed to develop an even stronger sense of outrage for the Hare. It was as if that anger had evolved into burning hatred.

This fact left William with an emotion he couldn't quite identify...yet it felt somehow familiar.

Evening came rather quickly and Hare was doing nothing in particular when he heard a knock at his door. "Now who could that possibly be at this hour?" The knocking picked up slightly in speed. "Just a moment" Hare called out to whoever was at his door. Standing up and walking over, he opened it a crack and glanced around...only to find no one on the other side. He opened the door a little wider and poked his head out, "Hello, is someone there?" When nobody responded back, the Hare retreated into his house and shut the door. "How strange" he muttered to himself, turning around; he nearly lept six feet in the air when a woman appeared in front of him out of nowhere.

"I knocked before I entered" the woman said, casually.

Hare clutched at his chest, his heart beating as if attempting to escape. "That was you?!" the brunette asked, shaken up. The woman nodded 'yes' and started looking around the room, spinning in a circle to get a full view. "I don't know who you are, but that is a good way to send someone to an early grave!" "That was not my intent; I only wanted to speak with you". "Alright...but you have a peculiar way of making your intentions known" Hare commented, starting to calm down a bit. "Is that not the way you do things here?" the ravenette asked. "That depends on who you socialize with". 'I will remember this for next time' she thought to herself, deciding that her approach on making her presence known required some more adjustments.

Leading her to the living room, both sat across from each other: Hare on the couch and the woman in an armchair. "Oh, where are my manners; my name is-" "I already know who you are" she cut him off mid-sentence. "Is that so?" the Hare asked, skeptically. "You are the March Hare, William T. Spears. Until recently, you regularly engaged in tea parties with the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse, known as Undertaker and Ronald Knox respectively". "As for _my_ name...you may call me Emilia". Will's mouth hung open in shock as the woman, or 'Emilia' as she had introduced herself, automatically knew information about him without any prior interactions. "How did- have you...been stalking me?" "Aye yi yi; there you go again making assumptions about a person before you have enough information" Emilia exclaimed, shaking her head. The Hare started tensing up in mild panic; he was absolutely positive that he'd never met this woman before right now, so how the hell could she have this specific knowledge?

That's when it suddenly hit him: the solution was very obvious and Hare mentally smacked himself for not recognizing it sooner.

"Did that bastard Michaelis send you? Is this his idea of an elaborate prank?" Emilia shot him a confused look and then quickly figured out who Spears was referring to. "Michaelis...you mean that nice conejo I met a while back?" "I don't know what it is you just called him, but I certainly wouldn't characterize Sebastian as nice" William spat venomously, thinking of that smug grin on his face. "So, the high and mighty liebre finally admits to not knowing something" Emilia boasted with a smirk. "I never claimed to know _everything_ " William shot back defensively. "Could have fooled _me_ , what with the way you carry yourself, your overall demeanor and that Panama Canal you call a mind!" "Is that supposed to be a riddle because I don't understand the comparison". "They are both _narrow bastardo_! I'm saying you have a narrow mind!" Emilia growled out, her eyes flashing dangerously a darker shade of purple.

"If you came her just to yell at me, I got enough of that from Hatter and Dormouse". "No, that is not why I am here...but you _are_ infuriating me with that attitude". "Then explain your purpose for being in my home or leave; I am a very busy leporid". Emilia rolled her eyes at the Hares' statement. "Fine, I will cut to the chase. The short answer is that my presence in your den is part of a multi faceted operation that is going to be used for helping a lot of people". "And what's the long answer?" Hare asked, slightly curious.

Emilia let out a heavy sigh, "First and foremost, as you may or may not have noticed...I am not from around here". "I considered that as a possibility given your accent; continue" said William, adjusting his glasses. "I have traveled from a very far away place; my initial reason was because I had a premonición of certain events that would occur in Wonderland. Unfortunately, my visions are not as precise as my mothers' so I've had to be patient and watch from the shadows for when it might come to fruition. Any questions so far?" "For now, just one: how is it that you expect me to believe you? You said it yourself, you've been making discreet observations from which you could have easily learned all of what you supposedly know from a 'premonition' that you just told me earlier in our conversation". "Actually, at this point I don't really expect you to do anything but listen and keep an open mind. You have a lesson to learn William T. Spears; I suggest you take the next step and pay a visit to the Red Queen tomorrow". Emilia stood up from the chair and started to head for the door. "That is, if you want to discover more about your current emotional state". With that, Emilia opened the door and exited the dwelling; Will was left with more questions than answers that night.

The next day, Hare decided to take Emilia's advice and see the queen; it wasn't so much that he truly believed any of her story, but his damnable curiosity had gotten the better of him and William knew he wouldn't be able to have any peace until it was sated. It was just after lunch when the Hare had left for the palace; when he arrived, a pair of Black Ace guards immediately escorted him inside and took him to the queen.

"Your majesty, you have a visitor" the guards said in unison. "Really? Well bring them in" the queen ordered, pausing in her solitary chess game. As soon as the Hare entered the library, her face lit up in glee. "Will, what a surprise!" she chirped, clapping her hands together. "Greetings your majesty; I hope I haven't come at an inconvenient time" Hare stated with a slight bow. "Not at all; come in, come in!" Madam Red eagerly gestured for him to come closer. William took a seat across from her and noticed the half played chess board on the table in front of the queens' chair. "How have you been recently?" William asked, getting the ball rolling. "Quite well; you're sweet to ask" the queen began pleasantly, "but what about yourself; I must say that I never would have thought you'd have the guts to venture past the safety of Hatter's gated yard where you have your little tea parties to see _me_ ". "Not that I'm implying you're a coward or anything...I just mean that I understand you are very set in your ways about things" the redhead quickly added. "No offence taken; to be honest, a new acquaintance I recently made suggested I do so. I think she also might have mentioned hearing a rumor that you have a new addition to your palace".

The Red Queen stiffened a little at this news; who could have possibly leaked that tidbit to another citizen, she wondered. 'Wait a minute; the rabbit...he's incredibly sneaky and tremendously clever, plus it's been ages since I last remember seeing him around Wonderland'. Angelina pondered the mystery to herself, staring off into space for a few moments; the sound of someone clearing their throat snapped her out of her daze. She looked up to see her guard, the Nine of Clubs standing beside her and holding a tray of tea and some scones. "Will there be anything else, my lady?" the guard asked, setting down the tray in between them on the coffee table. "Not at the moment; leave us". Bowing his head, he immediately did as told and rushed out of the room.

"Did you now?" Madam Red asked, raising an eyebrow at him in suspicion. "Well, your mystery source is correct; I happen to have a kitten". Now it was Hares' turn to stiffen in his seat. "Oh don't worry; he is perfectly docile and wouldn't hurt a fly" the woman assured her guest after noticing him tense up. "Would you like to meet him?" "I suppose" Hare replied, slightly nervous. "Bring me my kitty!" the queen called out, face pointed toward the double doors. Within seconds, the same guard opened the door and briefly popped in to lead someone else inside before disappearing again to just outside the entrance, awaiting orders from the queen. William was shocked, to say the least that the 'kitty' in question was none other than the Cheshire Cat Grell Sutcliff.

"Grell?"

The male redhead spared the briefest glance up at that all too familiar voice; upon confirming it was the March Hare, Grell lowered his gaze back to the floor and stood there in silence. "You know each other?" the queen asked, taking note of how her kitten was acting. "Somewhat, your majesty" the Hare replied in a flat tone. The changes Hare noticed in Grell after seeing him for the first time in months were extremely obvious: the first one was his appearance. Sure, the cat didn't really look _all_ that different...and yet, there was a significant alteration in his spirit and the way he presented himself. His fur, his personality, everything had a lifelessness to it; yes, Grell would become quiet and subdued whenever Hare came around Hatter's crypt, but that timidness was merely because of his presence. And even during those times, the feline retained glimmers of his usual nature...but now...Hare wasn't even sure who he was looking at now.

"Is this where you've been all this time?" the Hare asked, his expression emotionless. Grell declined to answer at first and kept his head down. "You may speak Grell...why don't you tell him all about how we came to find each other?" the queen said to the cat, her tone initially friendly sounding, but with a subtle touch of menace that only Grell could detect. Swallowing hard, he dropped down to the ground next to Madam Reds' legs and raised his head to face William; a fake smile plastered onto his features, he began to speak. "Nothing terribly spectacular about it; just a fortunate chance encounter between two fabulous redheads. The queen graciously took me into her home and gave me a new life as her royal companion. She's such a wonderful owner and I love it here. Besides, you should be happy that things can go back to the way they were before". Immediately, Grell started to nuzzle against her legs, purring somewhat softly that Will had to strain a bit in order to hear it. "What about the Mad Hatter; does he all of a sudden mean nothing to you?" Grell froze on the spot at the Hares' question; he craned his neck to look up at Madam Red before responding. "Go ahead Grell...tell William what you really think about that man".

"He can find another stray pussy to play with; I am quite content with the Red Queen" came Grell's monotone reply. His affect was flat and disinterested, but inside he was hating himself for saying those words despite the fact that it was all for Hatter's sake.

The Hare was at a loss for words; for Grell to say such a thing completely contradicted his prior thoughts and actions from when he still lived with Undertaker. "What of Ronald; surely you can't tell me that you no longer regard him as your friend". There was a pause before he gave an answer, "You mean that moon eyed sidekick of yours?" Grell turned to face the brunette, meeting his gaze with dead eyes. "He's just another _creature_...what use do I have for the likes of _him_?" Grell hadn't been expecting that question; despite his best efforts to compartmentalize, a single tear slipped out as he spoke.

Hare was completely dumbfounded at the felines' declaration; not only had he used the same insult Will used with Grell, but his eyes held nothing but emptiness and indifference...until the bespectacled man realized that Grell was crying. His mind was starting to put together all the pieces presented to him, already beginning to form an assessment of the situation. However, he still needed a little more information and decided to continue directing questions to the cat and study his reactions to them.

"So, what you are saying is...if that an opportunity arose allowing you to see him again, you wouldn't even spare Hatter a glance?" No response. "You know, I haven't seen Undertaker in over a week...perhaps he chose to move on after your leaving and went off somewhere to find another feline to warm his bed" William coolly surmised, discreetly watching and listening for any visceral clues. Still no response. Running out of ideas on how to provoke him, Will wasn't sure what to do next without arousing suspicion. Fortunately, the Hare got what he needed when the queen cried out in pain out of the blue.

"Grell, that hurts; let go!"

Brown eyes darted up to her legs and saw a pair of hands tightly gripping them enough to bruise the limbs; his nose twitched as he caught the scent of blood and saw that trails of crimson were running down pale skin from where Grell's claws pierced the flesh. Madam Red reached down and ripped his hands away, shoving Grell to the floor as she stood. "Pardon me William; I have to perform a bit of first aid...again" she ground out in a pained wince. The queen rushed out of the library as fast as she was able and slammed the doors shut behind her; once they were alone, Grell rose to his full height. "Take back what you said right _meow_ ~!" The Cheshire hissed, inadvertently using a pun at the end of his sentence. Evocation successful.

"Now _there's_ the Sutcliff I had the displeasure of meeting all those months back" retorted Hare, sliding his glasses up his nose. "Further more, I can't very well comply with your request for the simple fact that I have no idea if what I said is even true or not". The cats' eyes, which had begun blazing in outrage almost instantly cooled as his mind registered Hare's words. "Y-you're wrong; A-Adrian loves me...he'd never replace me for s-some common tabby" Grell replied softly, stuttering slightly. "Then you're a delusional dreamer; did you honestly expect that scatterbrained lunatic to pine for you forever?" The Cheshire cat didn't say anything to that and stared off to the side at the floor with his ears flattened back and tail flicking lightly in despair. "What I _do_ know is that you didn't mean a single word of those absurd statements".

Grell looked up at William, his green eyes once again dull and lifeless. "You think you know everything, don't you?" The cat said, defeated. "Actually, I was going off of careful observations; you cried when you talked about the Dormouse being so easily replaceable. And from the way you impaled your 'wonderful' new owner tells me that the very thought of Hatter abandoning you for someone else fills you with dread and despair". "I'll ask one more question: are you genuinely happy here?" Grells' eyes began welling up with tears, appearing glossy; he opened his mouth to answer when a guard came through the doors and interrupted them. "Her majesty sends her sincerest apologies, but she is currently unable to continue hosting guests at present and instructed me to escort you out in her stead" said the Four of Diamonds. "Also, Grell...she wants to speak with you in her chambers immediately" he added, in a grave tone. Grell paled at that while William stood there, stoic as ever. The Four of Diamonds led the March Hare out of the library and back to the front entrance of the castle. Meanwhile, the Ace of Clubs and Ace of Spades reemerged to take the Cheshire cat to the Red Queen in her bed chambers.

Later that night, Hare was back home in his den and retired to bed...wide awake. Sleep was quickly proving difficult with all that the stoic man had on his mind. He was also being plagued by emotions: this time, it was a new one that Will wasn't quite sure if he recognized it at all. Seeing Grell at the queen's palace in such a state of submission and obedience gave him a sense of satisfaction; for once, the brunette could relax while in the presence of a cat. He didn't fear being eaten or attacked. But it was instantly replaced by the unknown emotion; his stomach churned for a totally new reason.

Disregarding it for now, the Hare forced himself to try and go to sleep; eventually he succeeded, but soon after, slipped into a familiar dream.


	4. Mission: Storm The Palace

**Warning: Contains strong language, suicide, violence, implied murderous intent and minor police brutality**

* * *

[Dream Sequence]

The March Hare stood in the center of town and noted with a ghost of concern that everything and everywhere was completely quiet and deserted. Walking around a bit, he listened for any signs of life and scanned his surroundings to try and locate a person. Alas, Hare didn't pick up any sounds at all and the veil of fog that lay shrouding Wonderland made it almost impossible for him to see very far past his own nose. Putting out his arms to prevent running into anything, William took slow steps through the mist hoping he might encounter someone that could give him an explanation.

After what seemed like forever, the fog began to lift slightly and Hare could make out the silhouette of a building. He increased his pace and ran towards it, throwing caution to the wind. Upon reaching what was the front entrance, the brunette discovered the structure was a large, plain white building with black double doors. More focused on solving this conundrum than his own safety, Hare grabbed the knobs in both hands, twisted them and lightly threw open the doors. The inside was a stark contrast to the outside, Hare observed. The walls were dark in color, a mixture of purple and black and the walkway went straight ahead a few feet before dipping down into a staircase. As Hare stepped through and went inside, the doors suddenly slammed shut behind him; he spun around at the noise and started to question his own judgement of walking into a place he has no idea what could be lurking inside. "Damn insatiable curiosity" Hare muttered under his breath.

Turning back around he decided to descend the stairs and continue exploring further. Another thing Hare observed was how dark it was inside the strange building without the doors being open; there were no windows - at least, none that were visible - and the only source of light were several lit candles lining the walls in sconces. About thirty steps down, the Hare saw a few figures on either side holding candles and heads bowed as if in reverence; the glow of the candles allowed him a brief glimpse at one of the persons' faces. From what Will could distinguish in such low light, they were dressed in dark clothing and a mix of confusion and sorrow etched onto their features. Will kept walking down the stairs only to encounter more and more dark shapes dimly illuminated by candlelight. He thought about asking one of them what was going on, but chose against it seeing that it was likely the person wouldn't have much information either.

The farther down he went, the closer he got to a brighter source of light followed by faint crying. William recognized the voice and wandered closer to whoever it was coming from. The distant wailing was also accompanied by whispers among the twin crowds and even a few stares here and there directed at the March Hare. 'This is getting stranger by the second; who are all these people and what is going on?' William asked himself, glancing side to side at everybody who began staring at him and pointing. Finally, he reached the other end of the staircase; his eyes widened when he saw what was in the middle of some kind of expansive alcove.

Everyone, who the Hare now realized were mourners had gathered around a large coffin surrounded by candles; the lid was open and one of the people there stood directly in front of the left half concealed by a long hooded cloak making it impossible to determine their identity. But what was more perplexing was the fact that so many people had come to the funeral of one solitary individual...it honestly made no sense at all. Suddenly, a hand on his shoulder snapped the man out of his daze; he turned to see a blazing Dormouse beside him. "You have some nerve showing your face around here of all places" the Dormouse spoke, his tone dangerously calm. Out of the corner of his eye, the Hare shot a glance back over to the open casket to find that the mysterious figure had disappeared. "Ronald..." William began, "why is all of Wonderland in attendance to mourn a random stranger?" At the question, Ronald became livid; his hands clenched into fists at his sides and his jaws tightened together in a furious scowl. It took all he had not to explode and start kicking Spears' ass right there in the chapel. The Hare withered slightly at how much rage he could feel radiating off the Dormouse. Before the two tone haired man lost control, someone else stood up and placed their hands on his shoulders in a gentle, yet firm grip.

"Why don't you take a few minutes to cool off outside; I'll take care of our ignorant guest" Tanaka soothed the young mouse. Ronald merely gave a quick nod to show he heard the older man and ran up the stairs to the doors, exiting the building. Tanaka turned his attention toward the brunette and fixed him with a stern glare. "Mr. Spears, I strongly urge you to leave at once if you don't wish to have any harm come to you". "Not until somebody tells me what happened and why all this melodrama over an unknown stiff?" "Silence your blaspheming tongue lest you be relieved of it!" shouted the Mock Turtle, Aleistor Chambers. "How dare you waltz into this sacred place of grieving and worship and claim not to have any knowledge of the deceased?!" Aleistor struck a pose as he finished his exclamation, an arm over his eyes in disbelief. "Because I don't; will anyone please care to elaborate or am I to be kept in the dark?" "That's it!" came a female voice behind Hare. A clawed hand roughly grabbed hold of his neck and dragged him over to the coffin. William looked up to see a woman with bright auburn hair, matching wings coming out of her back and a tail that had a tuft of fur at the end of the same color. She was dressed in an open trench coat that stopped just a couple inches above her ankles, a purple midriff top, black pants and matching boots.

"Rhonda, please stop; you're hurting him!" cried another woman, this time with a softer voice. "Angel, I know what I'm doin'...besides, what goods' a lesson without a little pain?" the woman identified as 'Rhonda' replied to the soft spoken woman addressed as Angel. "Just in case ya didn't know, I'm the Gryphon Detective Beedrell and that sweet throated lady is the Sheep Miss Banner". Her accent was a tad similar to Bard and Erics' but with an American dialect base instead of Scottish Brogue or Cockney British.

"You're gonna see what ya did cause even a dead man has tha' right ta confront his attacker" Rhonda growled out. Once at the alter, Rhonda yanked William forward to the upper end of the coffin and forced his head down to look inside at the face of the dead body. William hadn't said anything while being manhandled by the hybrid cop, partly to avoid incurring her wrath even further. However, as soon as he got a good view of who was lying in the casket, all speech ability was rendered completely useless. "U-Undertaker?" That was all the Hare managed to breathe out in his shock. It didn't even register to him when Rhonda unexpectedly threw him backwards onto the ground or the fact that his neck was bleeding due to the Gryphons' talons unintentionally scratching across the skin. "Beedrell that's enough; you're letting your anger get out of control!" Abberline, the Lizard Policeman chastised. "I think I got the right ta blow up at this son of a bitch!" Rhonda snapped at her partner. "And _you_..." Rhonda stomped up to Will and pulled him to his feet by his jacket collar, "you don't get ta say his name anymore; I hear it outta yer mouth again, you'll find yerself six feet under!" She dropped him, causing the Hare to fall to the floor; Abberline knelt down next to him with a look of sympathy. He closely examined Williams' face when it immediately dawned on him that the March Hare appeared genuinely shocked and confused.

"Rhonda, I don't think he's faking" Abberline declared, helping the Hare to his feet. Said woman rolled her eyes at that statement and said, "Then _you_ be the one ta remind him cause I ain't got the patience ta deal wit' this shit right now". Rhonda began flapping her wings, hovering in the air and flying off through a skylight in the ceiling to safely vent her rage far away. "Let's talk somewhere private" the Lizard said to the Hare. "Everyone, I apologize for the unnecessary negativity on behalf of my partner the Gryphon". Abberline led Spears past the alter and outside via a door on the side wall. The Hare was still silent and had a terrible pallor about himself; the Lizard gently turned him around to face him, becoming more worried as Hare seemed to be in a trance. "William, are you alright?" The brunette remained mute for a few more seconds until he finally regained his voice and asked, "How did he die?"

Abberline let out a heavy sigh and started to explain what happened, "It was about six months ago; Rhonda and I received a call from the Carpenter, Mr. Humphries asking if we could do a well being check on Undertaker. He had expressed concerns about his friend and mentioned that he hadn't seen the man in almost a week and attempts to get in touch with him were unsuccessful. When we arrived at the residence, everything looked and sounded normal at first...we entered his home after several non-responses to our knocking on the door". Fred paused for a moment to collect himself and resumed relaying the events. "Again, things inside were like usual; we called out for Hatter and split up to search the place when he didn't answer back. It wasn't until we checked the attic last that we finally found him; he was hanging from a beam by a noose...dead...he killed himself, Hare". Tears started falling down his face at the memory of discovering Hatters' corpse. "And just in case you don't believe me..." Abberline trailed off, reaching into his coat pocket and producing a folded sheet of paper. "This is a photocopy of Hatters' suicide note; the original is locked up safe into evidence" said the Lizard, unfolding the paper and read aloud what was written.

"To my dearest friends: the Walrus, the Carpenter and the Dormouse, it is with a heavy heart that I announce my inability to continue on in this world. Please understand that I do not make this decision lightly; I have tried my best to move forward, but it is just far too difficult to put forth the effort any longer. I have known genuine happiness and for as long as I've been putting on an act with all of you...that's how much my heart aches ever since my beloved kitten was taken from me. Even though the chance of finding him is absolutely hopeless, I leave my home and all my worldly possessions to the Cheshire cat, Grell Sutcliff. My only consolation is that Grell will still have a place to call his own if, by some miracle he turns up alive and unharmed. To whomever happens upon my body, please make sure that Ronald Knox knows he is always welcome in my home as well as the Slingphries, Eric and Alan. I hope in time, they can forgive me for departing from their lives and that wherever Grell has ended up...he is able to find another that will care for, love and cherish him as much as I did.

Farewell,

The Mad Hatter"

After he was finished reading the letters' contents, Abberline tucked the paper back into his pocket and turned to face Hare. "The reason being is because the circumstances of his death are so out of character for someone like the Hatter; as I'm sure you are well aware, suicide is an incredibly rare cause of death in Wonderland so at least half of the crowd showed up out of a sense of morbid curiosity. I suppose Undertaker would have gotten a real kick if he knew that". Hare shot him a confused look, silently wondering why he mentioned that. "Earlier you asked why all of Wonderland had come to the funeral". "Oh, of course; what happened to the Cheshire? Has he been located?" Hare asked, slipping back into an emotionless facade. "No, we haven't picked up a single trace of him; much as I hate to say it, there's a chance he's completely vanished. Unfortunately, it's all speculation without a body or any other clues". "But that isn't the only thing about this case that bothers me". "What are you talking about; if Hatter killed himself, why make an investigation at all?" asked the Hare, doing his best to keep his voice even.

Under a stoic mask, William was starting to panic slightly; how much did the police know about the situation exactly? Did they suspect foul play in regards to Grell's disappearance? And what about Ronald or the others; could they suspect anything? As all of these questions buzzed through the brunettes' mind, Abberline stared at him in concern wondering what he may be thinking. "There's something else that bothers me about this whole thing... _you_ weren't named in Undertaker's suicide note. Any explanation as to why?" "There are a lot of people he didn't mention" the Hare retorted curtly. "True, but only a handful knew Hatter personally and weren't simply friendly acquaintances. Furthermore, you've known him the longest if I'm not mistaken". "Exactly what are you getting at, Abberline?" "I just find it strange he left you out as a correspondent". "Frankly, I'm not surprised; _everything_ that man did was strange and failed to make sense. It is a fool's errand to try figuring out Hatter's schema for doing things. And now, I really must be off; you know where to find me should you have any more questions". With that said, Hare stalked off from the Lizard Policeman and proceeded to head home.

'Just keep walking as if you've done nothing wrong; which I _haven't_...a man child he may have been, Undertaker was still an adult capable of his own decisions. It's not like his death is _my_ responsibility, right? No, of course it isn't, but then...why do I have a dull burning sensation in my stomach?'

William's internal pondering was interrupted by a sudden shout of "Arrest that man for murder!" Both the Lizard and the Hare turned sharply to see an enraged looking Red Queen and her entire deck of Card Guards standing off to the side. "Excuse me?" said Abberline to the queen in confusion; Hare stood stock still, but remained alert to his surroundings. "You heard me: arrest the March Hare for murdering the Mad Hatter!" the queen repeated, pointing an accusing finger at the brunette. "I don't understand; what evidence drew you to this conclusion that cause of death is the result of a homicide?" "You dare question your queen and refuse an order?" Madam Red inquired icily to the auburn haired man. "I'm questioning your rationale in detaining an innocent man" countered Abberline. "He is hardly innocent, Fred..."

As the two of them argued the issue, William took advantage of their being distracted and made his escape as quietly as possible. One of the guards noticed this, but kept it to himself out of fear of retaliation for interrupting Angelina during a conversation. "And another thing..." the queen trailed off, catching a glimpse of Hares' retreating form, "he's getting away; after him!" she shouted at the top of her lungs in command to her card army. Instantly obeying their mistress, all fifty-two palace guards ran after the March Hare; said man picked up his pace in order to evade capture. However, despite the head start he had, the Card Guards were slowly gaining on the Hare. "Halt, in the name of the Red Queen!" shouted the mob in unison.

Just as it looked like they would catch up to the March Hare and bring him back to the queen, he instantly disappeared from the path much to the dismay of the guards.

From a distance, a cloaked figure watched with amusement as the Card Guards scrambled every which way, frantically searching for the target of their pursuit. Meanwhile, William could barely breathe after being pulled into an alley by a random individual. His body went rigid as the potential assailant held him back, one arm around his waist and a hand covering his mouth. Unable to even see the figure, William helplessly followed as they dragged him backwards through the shadows; so fear stricken was he, the Hare didn't even realize they had suddenly vanished and re-materialized in a new location.

William was roughly shoved to the floor face down; after a few moments, he found his voice and shakily said, "Whoever you are...what do you want with me?" The figure said nothing in reply. Turning over and taking a kneeling position, William discovered that the mysterious mourner from earlier had been the one to prevent his apprehending by the queens' palace guards. "You...but why?" that was all the brunette could think to say next. The figure looked down on the Hare from hidden eyes; in one fluid motion, the cloak came flying off revealing the person under it to be...Grell Sutcliff.

"I saw you at the funeral and figured you might get yourself into trouble at some point...didn't expect it to be so soon of course".

Brown eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the Cheshire cat; where once stood a vibrant feline was now a monochromatic monster. His outfit consisted of black pants and silver belt with chains hanging on the sides, matching boots and long sleeved turtleneck. The mane of blood red locks that cascaded down his back had been chopped off, leaving only short, dyed black hair styled in a pixie cut; even his ears and tail had been color changed. Finally, in place of the red cats' eye glasses were simple silver frames. "That doesn't really answer my question; what happened to you? And where did those scars come from?" Studying his new visage, Hare had noticed that the cats' face had a couple faded lines...either of which could've been received from any number of sources. Grell's expression as he stared at William was absolutely devoid of any emotion. "Let's just say this is what happens when the only person who ever really loves you is taken away forever". "It took me months to gain enough of the queens' trust that she'd started letting me outside the castle without an escort. One day, I asked her if I could lose myself in the woods; soon as she said yes and I was far enough away, I snuck over to visit Hatter. I figured, what Madam Red doesn't know won't hurt my beloved. But by then...I discovered I was too late..."

[Flashback]

 _The Cheshire cat made quick work of entering the familiar building which was his boyfriends' crypt. He decided to surprise Hatter by going in through an attic window, slipping into the main area of the house and waiting for him in the bedroom. Grell giggled to himself at imagining the silverettes' expression when he discovers the kitten posed on his bed. 'I hope I don't scare him too badly'._

 _Grell floated up the side in order to reach the window; a small circular opening that he was able to shimmy through easily with his lithe and slender frame. Once inside, the cat righted himself on his feet and dusted himself off, checking that everything was neat and in place. However, when he looked up from inspecting his clothes he got the shock of a lifetime. Grell stared, unblinking at the sight in front of him before collapsing to his knees; thick tears poured out from his eyes in rivers and a loud, mournful wail ripped itself from his throat._

As Grell finished relaying the details of the heartbreaking discovery, a few stray tears slipped out and down his cheeks. He wiped them away and quickly composed himself; he had cried enough over Adrian's death and wouldn't let anyone or anything keep the cat from moving on.

William, now back on his feet in a standing position was completely at a loss for words. He had had no idea just how much of an impact his actions had on the Hatter _or_ the Cheshire cat. He may not have been on friendly terms with Undertaker as of late, but he never expected or wanted the silver haired male to come to any harm...be it by a stranger or his own hand. And thus, the burning ache Hare felt earlier was becoming more intense. "You wouldn't happen to have an analgesic lying around?" Hare asked through a groan of pain and clutching his abdomen. "Afraid not, but don't worry..." Grell trailed off, his back to William, "you won't be around much longer to suffer through that discomfort". As he said this, Grell turned to face the brunette and wielding a chainsaw in both hands. "W-w-what is the m-meaning of this?" came Hare's stuttered question, his eyes bulging out of his skull and heart threatening to burst from his chest.

"You asked me why I saved you; this is the answer" stated Grell, matter-of-factly. "You intend to kill me" Hare asked, though it was more of a statement than a query. The Hare backed away from the cat who had begun walking toward him with an air of menace. "Correction: I'm going to hack you into pieces and paint your blood all over the walls". Hare was shaking violently out of fear; his current affliction not only caused him great pain, but also seemed to simultaneously weaken his body as well. This fact became evident when Will lost his footing and fell backwards on the ground unable to move. "Please...what have I done to warrant such an act?" William asked, voice quavering slightly despite himself. Grell bent down to his level, hovering over the man and replied with a sneer, " _You_... _killed_... _Adrian_ ". That was all he said before righting himself again and pulling hard on the cord.

The motor roared to life and the teeth instantly rotated along the length of the blade. Grell raised the instrument above his head and swiftly brought it back down, thrusting it into Williams' torso.

A scream of pure terror rang out from inside the den and at that moment the March Hare bolted upright in his bed, drenched in sweat and pulse thrumming erratically. But very much alive.

Looking down and running his hands over his body, Hare reassured himself that he was unharmed and it was merely a nightmare he experienced. An incredibly vivid nightmare. But if it was only a dream...why could I feel something pierce my flesh...and what was that distant buzzing noise I heard, William mused to himself. "It can't have been a coincidence". Suddenly a knocking sounded off along with a voice; "William, I am inside the house!" Footsteps alerted the man that Emilia was approaching his bedroom.

"Buenas tardes" Emilia greeted while entering the room. "That means 'good afternoon'; how are you feeling?" In her hands was a tray of pancakes, eggs, bacon and a pitcher of juice. "I hope you don't mind, but I whipped something up for when you woke because I knew you'd be hungry". Just as she set the tray on the bed, Williams' stomach let out a loud growl, confirming her statement and resulting in a light pink blush to dust his cheeks. "When you are ready to talk, I will be in the living room". With that, Emilia walked out of the Hares' bedroom and went to wait for him.

A short time later, after eating, getting a shower and changing into fresh clothes Hare emerged from his bedroom to find Emilia right where she said she'd be: in the living room, on the couch patiently waiting to speak with him. "What would you like know first?" asked Emilia. Will stood there, a few feet from the couch in silence; he decided to start their conversation by getting something off his chest.

"Actually...I have a confession to make". Slowly, he made his way over to the ravenette and sat down in the armchair facing her. Emilia's expression was neutral, but even without having a premonition...she knew what William would lead with. Reaching into her breast pocket, Emilia pulled out a small tape recorder and pressed the 'record' button while setting it on the coffee table. She made a slight gesture motioning him to begin speaking. "My name is William T. Spears and I have committed a most egregious crime". "And you are making this allocution of your own free will, without coercion?" "Correct; I am also beginning to realize the impact my actions have made on various others...including myself". "This is Emilia and I shall be documenting everything and conducting the interview. Mr. Spears, please start wherever feels natural". "Very well; the crime itself is this...I am responsible for the disappearance of the Cheshire cat, Grell Sutcliff".

"I see. How exactly did you accomplish that and what, if any was your relationship to Grell?"

"It all began a few months ago after a major storm had ended; the Mad Hatter heard a noise coming from the woods while he, myself and the Dormouse were restoring the disarray in which our tea area had been left. Hatter went to investigate despite our protests and when he returned...there it was: a cat cradled in his arms and covered in mud. Naturally, I kept my distance being a hare, but the others were a different matter".

"For the record, could you clarify who the Hatter and Dormouse are?"

"Of course: the Hatter is also known as Undertaker and the Dormouse is a young man named Ronald Knox. As to my 'relationship' with Sutcliff...there was none; I saw him as nothing more than a vicious predator that would sooner eat Ronald and I rather than form a friendship even though, at the time he was incapacitated with a broken leg".

"I also treated him horribly and almost every single word I said to him was an insult. Hatter and I were at odds over the situation: I wanted him gone immediately and Hatter was quickly becoming attached to the feline. We frequently fought and our friendship had all but dissolved".

"What about Ron? How did Grell's living with Undertaker affect him?"

"Based on what I know about him, I can surmise that Ronald no doubt felt fear in his presence...but somehow he managed to work past it and actually befriended the cat. I hated the miserable creature for that and so I started planning and waiting for the best opportunity to drive him away. It took quite a while because Hatter never let Grell out of his sight. Eventually, a chance became available and I seized it; I lured him outside with catnip and threatened the Cheshire with bodily harm if he didn't leave. I ripped the collar off his neck. I used my pruning shears and held it to Grell's back with intent to physically attack him should he have refused". Upon hearing this, Emilia's lips pursed into a tight line; she knew that Grell had been forced away, but that detail about the shears hadn't shown up in her vision. She went very quiet for a few moments to stay calm and let out a couple deep breaths. The Hare silently watched this display and waited for her to resume the questions. Picking up the device, Emilia pressed the 'stop' button and put it back inside her jacket pocket. "Let's move on to something else; I'm sure you have other things you would like to talk about".

"My dream...it wasn't really a dream at all, was it?" "You are half right; it _was_ a dream, but also more or less a vision of the future. And I was the one who put you in such a deep sleep so you could fully experience the daño emocional your actions will cause if you don't do something to rectify the situation". "Undertaker committing suicide and Grell turning exactly into what I imagined him" Hare supplied in a grim tone. " _Yes_ ; you also need to recognize that Grell is not your enemy!" Emilia exclaimed in an exasperated tone. "Look...I understand where your fear of cats comes from, but you are alive and not once has the Cheshire attacked you for any reason". "That is only because Hatter saved me all those years ago, but...how did you know that; another premonition?" "No; my mother gave me a special gift so I would never lose perspective of things. Will, I am a kanjō-tekina rīchi". Williams's eyes went wide at this announcement; it was all sounding far too fantastic for him to take. Logically speaking, the brunette wanted nothing more than to write off all of Emilia's statements and explanations as delusional drivel...yet, his heart was singing a different tune all together.

"Denying my 'delusional drivel' won't make it any less true Mr. Spears" said Emilia, adding air quotes to the words delusional drivel. The Hare was stunned at this; it all felt surreal and somehow...it seemed to make sense. He thought back on Hatter's words from his hypothetical suicide note.

' _I have known genuine happiness and for as long as I've been putting on an act with all of you...that's how much my heart aches ever since my beloved kitten was taken from me_ '

"He's always been so jovial; I never once considered that the Mad Hatter could actually be...lonely". "Anyone can experience loneliness and other negative emotions; some people are just much better at hiding it than others". "Is that what I've been feeling as of late: loneliness?" asked Hare. "Un poquito" Emilia started, holding her index finger and thumb close together to illustrate her point, "but mostly, you have been experiencing the burn of guilt. And to answer your so far unasked question, you were out for a full day meaning this is the _second_ day after your meeting with the Red Queen".

"What have I done?" asked the Hare after a pregnant pause, allowing all that had been said to sink in. Although she knew it was mainly a rhetorical question, Emilia gave the man a response, "In short, you have callously passed judgement upon an innocent feline, came between two lovers on your own selfish agenda and may even be an accomplice to torture and conspiracy to murder!" Emilia folded her arms across her chest in a huff and turned away from Hare in mild disgust. William's jaw nearly hit the floor in shock; the murder conspiracy made sense, but torture? Who could possibly be- his thoughts cut themselves off as the brown eyed man suddenly went back to the image of Grell from his 'dream'.

"Tell me everything you know about what has happened to the Cheshire cat". Emilia spared him a sideways glance, staring at Will for a few seconds. "It's better if I show you; allow me". Emilia stood up from her seat and stepped up to the Hare, placing both palms over his temples. "Using my kanjō abilities, you will be given an in-depth understanding of the situation from an emotional standpoint. But I must warn you...a demonstration like this carries great potential risk and can be extremely painful; do you still wish to go through with it?" "Yes; I want to know the full extent of the damage I have caused" said Will, resolutely. "Very well". Closing her eyes, Emilia began concentrating and filtering through several patterns until she was able to single out one belonging to Grell. "Transferencia de agitación gata rojo!"

It took only a moment, but immediately William was bombarded with fleeting mental images and a thorough spectrum of emotions not his own. The pictures were of the Cheshire cat and the Red Queen in various situations: getting run over by a carriage when he first left, waking up in the queens' bedroom and having been brought back to her castle, quick snippets of the two redheads interacting with each other and finally...the scenery changed into a dark room with stone walls and torches hanging to offer a little bit of light. Suddenly, he could see two figures in the room: Madam Red and Grell...wrists chained to the wall and glaring up at the woman looming over him in defiance. In her hand was a whip with dark colored stains; blood stains, no doubt. Alongside them were strong feelings of fear, physical pain, sorrow, anger and then hopelessness. While experiencing all of this, Will did his best to remain still. His jaws clenched and eyes shut tight as the sensations caused the brunette moderate pain.

"Gata rojo después de la angustia la reanimación!" William didn't hear it when Emilia had spoken next, but was completely taken aback when he began seeing Grell together with several figures at one point or another in his life. Each one had their face obscured and from the way they acted, it appeared that Hare was witnessing the cat with past lovers. He felt Grells' desire to be loved and cared for while every subsequent partner exhibited only tertiary attraction towards him; said feelings eventually devolved into cruelty, hatred and disgust. Yet, despite each 'relationship' turning out to be just a superficial fling which usually ended badly, Grell continuously picked himself up and tried again to find love to fill the apparent hole in his heart. The physical anguish started to ease up slightly, allowing a few tears to slip past closed lids and down Will's cheeks; he was feeling...sympathy for Sutcliff.

"Enterrador soledad la reanimación!"

The third and final collection of visions and emotions came in the form of repeated event: at first, it was William himself with Undertaker. He knew this day; it had been a short time after the silverette rescued him from that group of feral beasts. It only lasted a couple of seconds and then the Hare left...after which, Hatter was shown still seated at the long mix-matched table, his face falling a bit. That same meeting played out again in a fast forward motion over the course of many years; it stopped once the memory/vision now included the Dormouse. Both Hare and Dormouse were leaving to head back to their respective homes and Hatter was once again left to his own devices. There was really only one emotion that stood out strongly enough: despair. It moved on to show Hatter treading water in what looked to be an ocean; likely a literal representation of the mans' gradually deteriorating emotional state due to his feelings of loneliness. And in the vision, he was slowly sinking beneath the waves and barely attempting to stay afloat.

In addition to the pain, which had started to intensify again...William started to gasp and cough as if he were drowning. That had been _exactly_ what was happening to Undertaker...figuratively speaking, of course. Sensing his having trouble breathing, Emilia yanked her hands away and stumbled backwards, luckily landing on the couch; William nearly fell out of his chair and began to breathe heavily, taking in as much precious oxygen as possible. "There...I showed you...all that you...needed to see" the raven haired woman said between gasping pants, her chest heaving upward and inhaling sharply in an effort to recover from such a prolonged and demanding use of her powers.

"William, are you alright?" she stood up to check on him, despite her common sense telling her to rest; instantly, Emilia got a rush of dizziness and collapsed on the floor. Drifting in and out of consciousness, William tried standing in order to help her, but it proved too much for his body to manage. Within a second, he passed out and fell right next to Emilia.

[Several Hours Later]

When the pair finally woke up, they quickly discovered they were no longer on the floor, but in Hares' bed. Said man was very confused as to how he wound up with Emilia in his bedroom but the answer to the mystery made itself known when a mans' voice called to them. "How are you both feeling this evening?" Hare tried to make out who was speaking to them, but his eyes could only perceive a red and brown blur. "Tanaka?" he asked the blurry figure, hoping his guess was correct. "I apologize for dropping by unannounced, but I became concerned when Lady Skellington failed to report in" said Tanaka, slipping Wills' glasses back onto his face. "It's quite alright- Lady Skellington?" William directed his now clear gaze to Emilia, who merely sent a mild warning glare to the Hedgehog man. "That is my last name" the black clad woman curtly replied. "I had things under control Tanaka; not every situation I don't check in on time is going to be an emergency". Tanaka gave her an equally admonishing look, "Your parents asked me to watch over you and ensure your welfare; I am merely doing my job. And if I am not mistaken, you personally requested that I maintain due diligence when it comes to your powers as a kanjō-tekina rīchi". Emilia huffily turned away from Tanaka, arms crossed over her chest. "I feel fine Tanaka". Knowing she'd say that, he pulled out a small recording device from inside his jacket and pressed the play button.

' _Tanaka, I need you to be on guard of my health and energy levels; as a jinkō kanjō, I'm more prone to overtaxing myself when I use my powers. Even when I say I'm fine, assume the opposite, especially if I pass out because I may very well be totally blind to what my actual physical condition is like_ '.

Turning it off, Tanaka replaced it back into his coat; Emilia remained facing away from him for a few more seconds before replying, "just give me the elixir please; William and I have an incredibly important mission to complete" the violet eyed woman breathed out impatiently and holding an arm out expectantly. During their exchange, William was slightly confused as to what Emilia was referring...until it instantly came back, realization washing over him like a tidal wave. "She's quite correct; we mustn't waste anymore valuable time laying about" came the Hares' curt reply. At once, he tried to stand from the bed, but the Hedgehog man moved swiftly to keep him in place. "I don't think that is advisable; you've had a very intense experience from what I could gather upon arrival and the worst of the potential side effects have yet to even present themselves" Tanaka explained, using only one hand to hold William down at the shoulders due to his low strength. "You don't understand; ours is a matter of life or death and I demand you allow Emilia and I to carry out the operation!"

Tanaka let out a heavy sigh and relented to their request, knowing that to try and stop them would be a futile effort. "On one condition; you must each rest properly for at least two full days, getting up only when it is absolutely necessary" the older man warned in a stern voice that left no room for argument. "Of course". "You have my word, sir". The dark haired paired responded in agreement. "But when we find Grell...will you make sure that the news somehow gets passed along to Hatter?" asked Hare, a pleading look on his features. "If that is what it takes to ensure your compliance, then it shall be done". "Now onto more important matters" Tanaka produced two vials from his breast pocket and handed them to Emilia and William, "these are concentrated healing potions; they will revitalize your energy and provide you with a small increase in physical acuity. The downside is that you will be in an even worse state of weakness and fatigue when it wears off. Hence my strict instructions". Both nodded in understanding and each took a vial after Tanaka uncapped them; instantly upon drinking down the concoction, they felt a surge rushing through their bodies.

"I feel...powerful" Emilia observed in amazement. "Viva la exención!" came the womans' enthusiastic cry as she lept off the bed and to her feet. "One more thing before you get too ahead of yourself". "What is it" asked William, standing up in a more calm manner and retrieving his pruning shears for a weapon. "I insist on coming with you, if only to guarantee a higher chance of success". "And before you ask, I am well aware of the risks and I don't rightly care about the consequences...what's most important is doing what is right". "Thank you Tanaka". With that, the trio left Hares' den to head to their intended destination: the Red Queens' castle to rescue the Cheshire cat.

* * *

 **jinkō ('manmade' in Japanese)**

 **Enterrador soledad la reanimación ('Undertaker desolation revival' in Spanish)**

 **Gata rojo después de la angustia la reanimación ('Red cat past heartache revival' in Spanish)**

 **Transferencia de agitación gata rojo ('Red cat turmoil transfer' in Spanish)**

 **Un poquito ('a little bit' in Spanish)**

 **daño emocional ('emotional damage' in Spanish)**

 **Viva la exención ('long live freedom' in Spanish)**


	5. The White Queen

**Warning: contains language, Mpreg and light yaoi relationship fluff (don't like mpreg, don't read)**

 **Sōgi** **(Japanese for 'undertaker')**

[Elsewhere, far away from Wonderland]

When Hatter opened his eyes, his view was a closeup of the floor indicating that he'd somehow gotten knocked out of the hammock while he was asleep. Rising to his feet, the silverette looked out a window and saw white covered ground with only the base of several tree trunks as a sign that he was in fact, no longer up in the air. "Damn, guess I'll have to continue on foot" Hatter said to himself, knowing it would be easier than attempting to fix it on his own. Heading towards the console at the front of the ship, Hatter collected the compass and went back to retrieve the rest of his things before exiting the airship. However, as soon as Hatter stepped outside, he nearly dropped the items he carried when a sharp, biting chill struck his body. "D-definitely n-not in W-Wonderland anymore". Reaching into the bag, Hatter pulled out another coat and quickly put it on for extra warmth; checking the arrow, he was a bit surprised that it kept pointing in the same direction he needed to go despite what must have been a rough landing when the ship fell from the sky.

After getting his bearings, Hatter set out on the path that would eventually lead him to his missing kitten...or so he believed.

A few hours later, it was beginning to get dark and Hatter seemed to be no closer than he was in reaching wherever the compass was taking him. It was also getting colder and Undertaker knew what would ultimately happen if he didn't find any kind of shelter soon. Strangely enough, the compass seemed to know this fact as well and redirected the man toward a cave. Sometime after gathering an armful of dry branches to build a fire and setting up camp, the silver haired male sat up against a wall of the cave holding Grells' collar and staring at it contemplatively.

"I just don't understand; you were so happy with me...what could've gone wrong?"

Ever since the Cheshire had disappeared, Hatter's actions to the situation were almost instinctual and automatic; his severe worry also kept his mind preoccupied. But now that the Hatter was alone in a strange place with the only noises being the distant sounds of nature outside the cave and the slight crackling of flames from the bonfire...he actually had an opportunity to think things over. And right away, Hatter knew deep in his heart that Grell would never have run off willingly. Plus, given their location a kidnapping attempt was also highly unlikely. That only left one possible explanation.

Someone _forced_ his kitten to leave.

Instantly, his mind went to the only person that despised the cat and had the most recent contact with him: the March Hare. But, could William hate Grell that much as to actually do something to get rid of him? After all, as of now it was his word against Hatters' and the silverette wasn't the type of man to throw around accusations if there wasn't at least a shred of evidence. Suddenly, the last conversation he'd had with Hare resurfaced from his memories.

[Flashback]

 _"William...please tell me you've seen Grell"._

 _The Hare rolled his eyes and sat down at the table pouring himself a cup of tea, "Yeah, I've seen it...a filthy cat with red hair, striped ears and tail, broken leg...I was under the impression everyone here has seen it, or do you really need to start wearing glasses again?" he replied sarcastically in his usual monotone before sipping his tea nonchalantly._

 _"Bastard..." Hatter muttered before slamming his fist down on the table in front of William, "I'm talking about today you fool! Have you seen him today?!" Undertaker was really getting sick of the Hares' new smug and short-tempered attitude; it almost made him miss the calm and emotionless, pedantic man he used to know._

 _Hare flinched when his old friend's fists collided with the table, but other than that he kept up his stoic act, "No I haven't"._

At that moment, it dawned on Hatter why Hare was acting so collected around Grell; he was not only plotting to get rid of the redhead, but that day had been just after the brunette must have accomplished his goal. " **Lying bastard!** " Hatter shouted at the top of his lungs, causing his voice to echo throughout the cave. With half the puzzle solved, all that remained was for Undertaker to find his beloved kitty and deal with the aftermath later on.

As for his anger, Undertaker managed to calm himself down rather quickly upon recognizing that he needed to keep a clear head for his most immediate task. It wouldn't do any good for Hatter to lose control of his temper and wind up acting recklessly.

The next morning, after putting out the fire and making sure he was in a calm state of mind, Hatter exited the cave and reissued his request to the compass. "Take me to my kitten". The arrow spun around in a full circle again before stopping in a northwest direction. Once his intended path was re-established, he set out and continued hiking on that route, more determined than ever to be reunited with Grell.

By the time it was midday, Hatter made it as far as the edge to a frozen lake; in the distance, he could faintly distinguish the outline of a castle against the gray sky. A cursory glance in each direction showed that there were no nearby bridges and the lake itself appeared to be too wide to go around; his only option on foot was to go straight across. Tentatively placing a foot on the ice, Hatter slowly started to put weight on it and, feeling no slickness under the sole he carefully stepped completely onto the solid surface.

Although it would take longer, Hatter kept a slow and leisurely pace as he inched his way to the other side of the lake. In this case, exercising caution was vital in preventing the silverette any accidents. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for him.

Hatter was about halfway over when he heard it: a soft cracking noise coming from somewhere behind him. What little the man knew of ice told him that that sound meant trouble; Hatter quickened his steps slightly, not wanting to chance being on the lake any longer than necessary. However, despite his swiftness, the ice was beginning to fracture under his weight and would no doubt break apart very soon.

The sounds of cracking ice getting louder and seemingly following close behind his steps encouraged the Mad Hatter to speed up even more, going into a brisk run. Just as it seemed he was going to make it...when his foot hit a spot near the shore, the ice instantly crumbled and Hatter was sent into the freezing water below.

Unbeknownst to the silver haired male, someone else had been making their way to _him_.

The last things Undertaker believed he would experience...the sensation of being stabbed all over his body from the water, feelings of panic, desperation, and...the sight of a the silhouette of a figure above the surface? Green eyes could barely discern the shape of what looked like a human with long hair and...pointy ears...on top of their head.

It couldn't be...

Right before he succumbed to unconsciousness, Undertaker could swear it was a clawed hand that reached in and pulled him out of the lake.

When next Hatter awoke, the atmosphere was completely different; though still a bit fuzzy, he felt something soft underneath his body and a warm mass pressed against his side. A low purring sound caught his attention and reached out to whatever was making it. As soon as his fingertips brushed up against a furry ear, Hatter sat up to get a look...only to be met with surprise and mild disappointment when he discovered it was nothing more than an actual cat. Sensing movement on the bed, the feline raised its head to meet the mans' gaze and gave a short meow in greeting. "Aren't you a lovely little kitten" a pale hand began stroking behind the cats' ears and petting along its back resulting in the animals' purrs becoming louder and closing its eyes in contentment. "Maybe not quite as much as _my_ kitten, but beautiful all the same". The cat snapped its eyes open at the comment and narrowed them in a slight glare; it ceased purring and backed away a bit. From what he could see, the cat had all black-as-night fur and the most striking blue eyes Hatter had ever seen. And based on their posture and body language, it almost seemed like the cat was...insulted. But, how could that be? Fully anatomical cats can't understand human speech...can they?

Undertaker tried to sort through this particular occurrence when he glanced down and noticed that the clothes he wore weren't the same ones he was wearing earlier. In place of his suit, Undertaker was dressed in a matching set of pajamas with a black background and patterned with sugar skulls. "Where did these come from?" asked Hatter to no one in particular. It was then that Hatters' eyes wandered from the outfit to the bedding and soon, the interior of the room he was in: everything had been done up in black, white, silver, purple and various other dark colors. Various decorations of skulls, roses and nocturnal animals adorned the room; on one wall, there was even a mural of a nighttime landscape scene. The rest of the walls had bright stars nearly covering the surface painted on them. All in all, it was a room designed specifically for the person staying in it.

A room designed with the Mad Hatter in mind.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Hatter decided to look around and explore his new location. However, another surprise met the silverette: on his feet were a pair of fluffy pink slippers. "What next; I find out I'm in the home of a chocolatier?" Pushing the thought aside, he stood up and went over to the door; when he opened it and poked his head out, Hatter was taken aback by what he saw. Outside the room was a hallway with forest green walls and a vaulted ceiling. Not much else had been placed as furnishings or decorations except for a painting or two. Hatter stepped outside and did a quick scan of both ends of the hall. It was then Hatter realized that he had no idea what he'd been doing prior to waking up in that strange room or even how he got here. "I'm...lost" Hatter said softly to himself. He tried to think, tried to remember something from before a few moments ago. Sadly, nothing came up and Undertaker just drew blanks.

Sensing his distress, the black cat lept off the bed and walked right up to his side, rubbing against his legs in what was meant to be a comforting gesture. Hatter looked down to see the feline acting friendly with him. "I suppose you forgive me for my comment". She let out a short mewl as if to say ' _of course I do_ '. "I guess it would be too much to ask if you knew where your master was?" Cocking her head to the side, the cat stared at him briefly as if confused; suddenly she got an idea and took part of a pantleg in her mouth, pulling forward to gain the mans' attention but not rip the fabric. Feeling something tugging at his pants, Hatter directed his gaze to the floor and watched amused as it appeared to be trying to lead him somewhere. "Exactly where do you want me to go, kitten?" She released the cloth and started running down the left hallway, but only about ten feet before turning her head and meowing at him as if saying, ' _follow me_ '. "What have I got to lose; an animal tour guide is better than none at all" Hatter mused with a sigh and walked to where the cat had stopped. Once he was close enough, she continued at a manageable pace to take them to their destination quickly, but slow enough so Hatter wouldn't get left behind.

"Following a black cat around a strange and foreign place; I must say, I feel a bit like Alice at this point".

After a few minutes, the cat finally stopped at a set of double doors and tapped it with her paw signaling that she wanted Hatter to open the doors. "Well, let's see what's behind door number one, shall we?" Grasping both knobs in his hands, he twisted them at the same time and lightly threw them open. Inside was a grand library with walls the same shade of green and an ornate carpeting. Hatter entered the room and looked around at everything; on one side was a large fireplace and an antique desk at the other end. Several leather chairs and couches were placed at different spots throughout the room and hanging from the ceiling was a large chandelier. "Uh...anyone in here?" Hatter called out.

The sole occupant of the room sat upright upon hearing somebody else inside; Hatter was surprised to see a familiar head of raven locks and long, white rabbit ears appear from behind one of the sofas. "Sebastian?" "Undertaker, this is a surprise" the White Rabbit greeted. "You're telling me; is this where you've-" Undertaker began, walking over to the front of the couch, but froze mid-sentence as soon as he saw all of the ravenette.

Sebastian was wearing black slippers made to look like cats and dressed in a babydoll styled gown with a bright pink bust and sheer black mesh material for the skirt. A thick, cream colored blanket draped across his lap concealing that fact that he had on matching panties underneath the babydoll. The Hatter instantly broke out into crazed laughter at the sight, much to Sebastians' chagrin. After a minute or two, he finally calmed down enough to speak. "I must say, that's an interesting fashion choice". "I'm five months pregnant; what's _your_ excuse" Sebastian snappishly retorted.

At that statement, all remaining amusement died instantly and the silverette sobered up completely. In his initial excited state, Hatter failed to notice any physical changes in the rabbit, but now that he was more focused...green eyes went straight to Sebastians' abdomen, which in fact had a slightly protruding tummy. "Oh...congratulations; who's the father?" "My husband, who else?" That next statement had Hatter even more confused; how long had he been asleep? What other events could he have missed and when did Sebastian even meet and develop feelings for someone romantically? Hatter pondered these questions and just noticed the rabbit stand from his seat on the couch with the blanket being held up and wrapped around his form to cover himself.

"Where are you going?" asked Hatter, still a bit dazed. "I would rather be alone right now; Naomi can help with whatever you might need". With that, Sebastian took his leave and disappeared through the double doors to his room; Hatter was by himself again with only a random feline for company. Not knowing what else to do, Hatter sat down on the couch and tried to process what all just happened. "Sebastian is pregnant...and married; where the hell was I when that started?" [ _If I had to guess...you were probably preoccupied with your own life, maintaining the illusion that you're perfectly happy how it's been going so far]_ came a womans' voice, speaking to Hatter. Said man looked up and twisted around trying to locate where it was coming from. [ _I'm down here_ ] Directing his attention to the floor, Hatter was met with the cat standing on its hind legs and balancing its front paws on the cushion. [ _Hi there; I'm Naomi_ ] she greeted, staring straight at him.

"Alright, it's official; I've completely lost my mind" the silver haired male groused to himself. Narrowing her eyes, she let out a low growl; suddenly, the cat transformed before his very eyes and taking the shape of a human. A woman now stood in front of Undertaker; a woman with medium brown skin tone, black ears on top of her head and a matching tale. "You're crazy like a fox, but you are not mentally ill; I would know" the woman chastised, arms crossed over her chest and a slight admonishing scowl on her face. At that moment, an image flashed through his memory while he sat there inspecting the feline-turned-female. Those same deep blue orbs and midnight fur were still present, but appearing more human-like and the fur coat replaced by a mane of long black hair.

Pointy ears and long hair...

Along with the image, which was a foggy silhouette, Undertaker also experienced a brief sensation of being stabbed all over his body with knives. Naomi instantly switched gears, sitting next to Hatter and wrapping her arms around him upon noticing he'd begun to shiver slightly. "Sōgi..." Naomi brought a hand up to his forehead, "you're burning up" she exclaimed, concerned. "Come on, let's get you back to your room". Hatter was unresponsive as Naomi brought him to his feet and led the man out of the library.

Back inside the room, she helped Hatter into bed; after performing a preliminary reading on his current emotional state, Naomi cast a spell that would serve two purposes: making him sleep for several hours and giving him selective amnesia. "I promise I'll be back; I just need to check on Sebastian" Naomi whispered to the silverette. Right as she turned around and started to exit the room, Hatter caught a glimpse of a retreating figure just before the enchantment finished kicking in and causing him to fall asleep.

With one patient situated, Naomi shifted back into her animal form and ran as fast as she could to Sebastians' room. Special walkways, tunnels and doors had been built in as part of the castles' design so all the female ravenette needed to do was enter once she arrived at the correct area. Poking her head through the tiny entrance, she gave a short mew to signal her presence and padded inside. The room itself was a mishmash of features that suited the personal tastes of both occupants: wallpaper depicting a garden of several different types of flowers and various breeds of kittens nestled among them, overhead light and table lamps with Tiffany bird pattern lampshades, matching side tables and blue and gold swirled carpeting. On opposite sides were two doors each: one leading to a bathroom and the other to a large walk-in closet. In the middle of the room was a large antique styled four poster canopy bed with burgundy curtains drawn closed. Walking over to the bed, Naomi slipped underneath the drapes and climbed up onto the mattress. Despite the darkness, Naomi was clearly able to see Sebastian curled into a ball as much as his pregnant stomach would allow and almost completely hidden under the cream blanket.

The White Rabbit knew Naomi would be coming to check on him at some point; having detected her presence before she actively announced it, he just lie still waiting for her to approach him. [ _Sebastian?_ ] At first, he remained silent; Naomi stepped a bit closer to see if he was even awake. Finally, in a voice barely above a whisper, he spoke "I hate that man". [ _Who, Undertaker; I agree he shouldn't have laughed at you, but that's not-_ ] Naomi was cut off mid-sentence at the sight that met her eyes; Sebastian was now sitting upright, holding the blanket to his chest. His eyes were slightly puffy and red rimmed indicating he'd been crying at some point. "Undertaker has a hair trigger on his sense of humor, so he'll pretty much laugh at everything and anything that he finds amusing. I am referring to my perverted husband" Sebastian spoke again, in a louder voice.

Sebastian lied back down, resting on his side; wanting to comfort him, Naomi crawled under the covers and inserted herself into his arms while rubbing her head against his chin as a nonverbal request for cuddles. Sebastian readily obliged and started petting the kanjōko. [ _Do you really mean that?_ ] The question itself was rhetorical and asked mainly as a courtesy; both knew that the raven haired males' statement was an empty one and lacking any sincerity. Naomi took his silence to mean that the answer was 'no'. "Don't you have to look after the Mad Hatter?" asked Sebastian absentmindedly. [ _Not for awhile; I put a spell on him to make him sleep for several hours, give or take. What really has me concerned is his fever_ ] At the mention of 'fever', Sebastian immediately became alert to the situation. "Hatter is sick?" [ _Unfortunately, yes; although I think a partial cause for it comes from an emotional trigger. Either way, I strongly advise you to keep your distance given your current condition_ ] "What emotional trigger; last I heard of what was going on in Wonderland is that he'd rescued a cat from the aftermath of a big storm".

[ _I only made a cursory reading of his emotional state, so I don't have all the details; all I can say for certain at this point is something terrible happened to make Undertaker think about suicide...albeit incredibly briefly. I also gave him temporary amnesia to allow for an easier recovery of his physical ailment and facilitate a stronger defense against his mental one_ ] [ _But we can talk more about this later; for now, I want you to rest because I can sense your fatigue_ ] "Very well". Sebastian closed his eyes and instantly started to drift off, Naomi still held to his chest like a stuffed animal.

When next Hatter woke up, he found himself back in 'his' room. Only this time, his confusion was accompanied by a dull pounding headache and an all-over clammy feeling about his person. "You're awake" came a voice in the room. Sitting upright, Hatter scanned around to locate the source of the sound. Green eyes fell on another man in a chair near the bed and sewing some kind of cloth. "What are you doing?" Hatter asked, though his voice came out slightly hoarse. "Putting the finishing touches on a baby outfit". Brushing aside his bangs, Hatter took a closer look at the man; his features strongly resembled those of the White Rabbit, but one of the key differences between him and _this_ man were the short black ears on top of his head. Suddenly, it dawned on the man that he hadn't introduced himself; setting aside the cloth, he stood up and gave a slight bow. "Allow me to introduce myself: I am Claude Faustus, head butler of this castle and an esteemed member of the White Queen's court". "White Queen; now just who would that be?" asked Hatter, confused. Claude approached Hatter, saying nothing else at first; removing one of his gloves, he placed the palm over his brow and checking his temperature. "You seem to be a tiny bit better, so I shall take you to my mistress and everything will be made clear". With two short claps, the raven haired servant summoned a woman with purple hair in a bun on her crown and wearing a black and silver two piece outfit.

"You called, Mr. Faustus?" asked the woman. "Could you please escort our guest to see the queen; my presence is required elsewhere at the moment". "Of course sir". She retreated from the room and came back quickly with a wheelchair. He was about to question the reason for the chair when the woman interjected. "We've received specific instructions from Naomi to ensure you don't overexert yourself while recovering from your illness; hence why I have brought this to push you around in" she answered the unasked query, gesturing to the wheelchair. Moving it closer to the bed, Hatter stood up and sat back down in the chair in one fluid motion despite the minor weakness in his body. "By the way, my name is Heather" the woman greeted. "And don't bother introducing yourself; we already know who you are, Mr. Hatter" Heather added in a cheery tone. All parties exited the room: Claude turning left and Undertaker and Heather turning right down the hallway.

Most of the trip to where the queen was went by in silence. "You are being uncharacteristically quiet; is anything wrong?" asked Heather. "Oh, not really; just thinking about all that's been going on. Though for the life of me, I can't seem to recall how I ended up in this place" replied Undertaker. "Well, don't you worry about a thing; all will become clear very soon". "If you say so" Undertaker retorted, not feeling very optimistic about the purple haired womans' claim.

Claude was going at a somewhat fast pace to reach his destination, having shifted into his wolf form.

In almost no time at all, he was outside the door to his and his husbands' bedroom. Immediately, he started working through what problem may await him inside.

[Flashback]

 _The ravenette had just returned from hunting when one of the servants walked up to him with a slight scowl. "Valerie, is something wrong?" Claude asked, taking note of not only the brunettes' expression, but her body language as well. "You bet your ass there is; I suggest talking with your hubby after that crazy hat guy wakes up". "And don't ask me what ya did cause it ain't my place ta tell ya!" Valerie added snappishly._

Switching back to his human form, Claude mentally prepared himself as best he could and knocked on the door.

No answer.

He was about to knock again when a voice sounded from in the room; [ _Come in, Claude_ ] He did as told, slipping inside and shutting the door behind him. [ _I take it Sōgi is awake_ ] "Yes and his fever has improved to a degree; Heather is pushing him in a wheelchair as per your warning against overexertion". [ _Very good; should I leave the two of you alone to talk or do you want me to stick around Sebastian?_ ] "We'll be fine, Naomi; besides, Undertaker could use a friend right now" the rabbit spoke softly to the feline. [ _If you're sure_ ] Naomi jumped down through the curtains and sauntered over to the door; just before she completely left, Claude swore the cat had muttered something under her breath that was an insult to the wolf. However, it was too indistinct to clearly decipher so the golden eyed man could only speculate as to what she called him.

A pale hand drew back the curtains, opening them and serving as a silent signal for Claude to approach. Hesitantly, he walked forward and stopped in front of the bed; Sebastian was sitting up, head down slightly and staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. The Wolf stood there in silence, unsure if he should say anything; the quiet of the room was broken when the White Rabbit finally spoke after a couple of minutes.

"I am not some piece of ass you can shamelessly ogle and play with whenever it suits you". Claude's eyes widened at the statement; it seemed the situation was more serious than he initially thought. "You can't honestly believe that's all I value you for?" Claude asked, his features betraying the hurt he felt at such an accusation. "Only recently did I start thinking so; exhibit A" Sebastian pulled down part of his covering to show the baby doll and gesturing to his torso. Understanding flashed through his head and the bespectacled man gave him a guilty grin. "I confess; my actions as of late have been rather deliberate, but I can assure you it was never my intent to make you feel like a sex object". "Could've fooled _me_ " the rabbit bit back sardonically. "Sebastian..." Claude began, taking the others' hand into his own and gently stroking it with his thumb, "you were the best thing to ever happen to me; I love you with all my heart and the only detail I would change about our story is when we had to keep our relationship a secret". "You know why, Claude". "That didn't mean I was happy about it" Claude growled out through clenched jaws.

Realizing that his anger was rising, Claude closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Pale lips moved but no sound passed through indicating that he was speaking something to himself; from the shapes his mouth made, Sebastian knew that Claude was counting. The Wolf had a bit of a temper that would sometimes get out of control, but he always did his best to ensure that said anger was expressed safely and never intentionally directed at his husband and friends. Once he felt calm enough, Claude continued to speak, "My point is...I hated the secrecy with a passion and when I first got your correspondence informing me of your pregnancy, one of the emotions I experienced was elation". Claude took Sebastians' hand in both of his own and kissed the top of it. "And now that you have given me something even more amazing and wonderful" one of his hands went to Sebastian's stomach and began to gently stroke it, "I want everyone to know what we've made...your looking sexy as hell in maternity lingerie is just an added bonus". Sebastian playfully swatted him on the shoulder for the comment. "I understand and I'm happy you took the news so positively, but think about how I feel in all of this".

"What are you feeling, love?" "Lately...my desire has been diminishing and just recently, there was an incident with Hatter". Suddenly it dawned on him and concern became evident in his features. "Because of the pregnancy" Claude stated more than asked; Sebastian nodded in confirmation. "Have I forced you at all before now; was there ever a past instance when we've made love that you only did it for my sake?" Sebastian shot him a sympathetic smile and said, "I believe I said 'lately' Claude; you've been good about respecting boundaries so far". "Am I forgiven then?" "We'll see, Faustus" Sebastian replied with a teasing tone. "Let's go join the others". "Good idea". Sebastian stood up and wrapped the blanket around himself, preparing to walk out the door...however, the rabbit was immediately lifted off his feet and cradled in Claudes' arms. "Allow me kitten". Sebastian blushed at the nickname and turned his head away slightly, but didn't object to being carried.

They soon reached the solarium, Naomi, Heather and Hatter already situated and waiting on a tufted leather sofa in the room. "About time you got here" Naomi exclaimed impatiently. Claude lightly scoffed at the comment and placed Sebastian in an armchair across from the others; he himself choosing to stand at his side. "Sebastian..." Hatter began, "I offer my sincerest apologies for how I reacted to your...choice in attire. I meant nothing by it and I am truly sorry if I hurt your feelings". The rabbit gave him a small smile and replied, "It's alright Hatter; I understand it can be hard for you to control yourself". "Still, a gentleman shouldn't mock an expecting mother; by the way, how long have you two been an item?" "Almost two years now". "But like any relationship, it didn't exactly have the smoothest beginning" Claude added. "Naomi, why don't you start off the story first". "My pleasure". Naomi stood from her seat and sauntered over to stand in front of the fireplace, "I remember everything like it was yesterday; Claude and I were making our regular trip through Wonderland gathering information on current events, the goings-on of various residents and other subsequent tidbits. We weren't due back for a week, so we split up and decided to take advantage of the warmer weather".


	6. When Ōkami met Usagi Part One

**Warning: contains language, cheesy romance pick up lines. I do not own Kuroshitsuji; only the basic plot idea and oc characters are mine**

[ _blah_ ] - Naomi 'speaking' in her feline form

{ _blah_ } - Claude 'speaking' in his wolf form

* * *

[Flashback]

In a clearing of the woods, a black cat lie stretched out on the ground and basking in the warmth of the suns' rays shining through a canopy of tree branches. [ _How nice is this; I could stay here all week!_ ] [ _I swear, it's truly amazing what you take for granted when you have to travel for work_ ] Naomi mused to herself. She was so content and relaxed, the neko failed to notice when someone else entered the clearing and approached her. A gloved hand started to pet her head and blue eyes snapped open to look up at whoever had invaded her space. "Oh, what beautiful eyes you have!" the man above her exclaimed. Eyes wide with anticipation, Naomi froze like a statue in the strangers' presence; however, any thoughts of potential harm he might cause instantly went out of her mind as the man started scratching behind her ears. She began purring up a storm at his ministrations despite herself, lids slipping closed and head tilting back in bliss.

From a distance, a pair of golden eyes watched the interaction with mild curiosity while also staying alert in case he needed to leap in and protect his friend. Due to the cloaking charm Naomi placed on him, Claude was given a secret, unobstructed view of everything from within the bushes. Meanwhile, Naomi reveled in the treatment she was getting: hands caressing her feline body, fingers gently stroking and squeezing her little paws and a stunning set of crimson orbs gazing on the neko in adoration and reverence. There were also doting words and praises given, but Naomi was too lost in pleasure to distinguish what they were and only being aware that the man was in fact speaking at all.

Unfortunately, the wolf had rapidly grown bored watching Naomi get fawned over by a rabbit after a couple of minutes. So, with his advantage of camouflage Claude became inspired to create a bit of mischief.

[Sebastian's POV]

I had been out walking, in no particular direction mind you but wherever my feet chose to carry me. I often did so, wandering aimlessly all over Wonderland and today was no different. I ended up in the forest, specifically the forest close to Hatter's crypt; I briefly considered paying him a visit and then something caught my attention. The unmistakable sound that is like music to my ears: purring. All thoughts went out of my head until the only one remaining was the one telling me to follow that melodious noise and follow it I did. Fortunately, it was a short distance separating me from the perfect creature producing those lovely sounds.

I emerged through the trees into a clearing and right there in the middle I saw it: a precious feline warming itself in a sunbeam, looking every bit angelic and magnificent. The cat appeared to be having an afternoon nap, so I preceded to make ginger steps as not to disturb its slumber or startle it. When there was only a few feet between us, I knelt down and slowly extended an arm to pet that pretty head. Upon making contact, her eyes shot open as I started rubbing her silky midnight fur. My breath hitched in my throat at the sight before me; staring into my own blood colored irises were vibrant, rich blue orbs. "Oh, what beautiful eyes you have!" I exclaimed in amazement. I must admit, I wasn't expecting to happen upon such a rare prize of a cat; I'm very tempted to spirit this little darling back to my burrow and keep her forever. As I begin to scratch behind her ears she quickly relaxes again, closing those captivating eyes and leaning back on the ground; that's when I see the telltale tag of a collar around her tiny neck.

She already belongs to someone else.

My mood dampens slightly at this realization, but I instead focus on this time I have right now to play with Sapphire. That is what I decide to call her since there is no name on the collar. Just a simple black strip of leather and a snowflake shaped opal stone dangling from it. "I hope whomever you reside with knows how lucky they are to have such a treasure as you". Gently grasping her front legs in my hands, I started to examine her paw pads: completely black just like her coat. Unable to help myself, I softly rubbed my thumbs over those adorable feline feet and lightly squeezed them. From her reaction, it is quite clear Sapphire thoroughly enjoys my touch. "What secrets you must hold, you charming vision of perfection?" I croon to Sapphire in praise. Cats truly are perfect...unlike... _dogs_.

[Claude's POV]

I tend to agree with Naomi on that aspect; the weather is nice today, although to be honest I prefer a more tundra like climate. As a wolf, I'm built more ideally for colder temperatures. It isn't that I dislike Wonderlands' temperate weather patters, but snow is far more fun to run through; white powder crunching underneath my large paws, a brisk wind blowing through my fur coat, the intoxicating scent of pine permeating the air. I sigh in content thinking about it. { _Blissful_ }

Before I can delve further into my imagination and memories of home, I instantly detect the presence of another entity approaching. Immediately, I get into position to strike but remain where I am standing; I do not know for sure if it is a friendly being or an enemy and attacking half-cocked could cause more harm than good.

I can only see them from the back, but I quickly discover it is a human...with a white, puffy tail. Correction: a rabbit. More than likely a local resident of this place. I watch him intently, eyes affixed to the pair for any sign of malicious intent.

My posture slackens considerably when my sharp ears pick up the hum of Naomi's content purrs. From what I can tell, he is merely playing with Naomi as if she were an ordinary house cat. And with no threat present, I decide to observe further since I had no other pressing engagements at the moment.

After nearly five minutes of watching the raven haired rabbit lavish Naomi with endless affection and compliments, I found myself growing bored. My mischievous side reared its cunning head and for a minute, thinking of what I could do to sate this urge became difficult. The mysterious rabbit, Naomi and myself were the only ones in the immediate area and I was hesitant to wander elsewhere out of concern for my friend. Luckily, an opportunity presented itself in the form of a particular sentence spoken by the unknown ravenette.

"Cats truly are perfect...unlike... _dogs_ ".

From his inflection and the venomous tone, I knew right away that Usagi detests canines. And from there...I received my inspiration for an awfully evil idea. But fret not little rabbit; I have no intention to add you to the menu, I muse to myself with as much of a smirk as I can manage in my current form.

Crouching low to the ground and taking a couple steps backwards, Claude hunched his shoulders back getting into a strike position. The Wolf gave off an audible growl before leaping forward at the White Rabbit.

Everything suddenly felt as if it were in slow motion; within seconds, Sebastian tore himself away from the cat and rose to his feet at the sound of growling behind him. As he turned toward the noise, a large black shape flew at him in a predatory pounce. Sebastian lie on the ground, frozen in place and unable to breathe; all the air had been knocked out of his lungs at the hard collision. A fact Claude was too distracted to recognize. Naomi had narrowly managed to jump out of the way and avoid being crushed under the mans' head.

[Claude's POV]

The growl was mainly a warning for Naomi; not that I wouldn't extend the same courtesy to my prey. I am a civilized lycan, after all. As soon as we connected and Usagi successfully pinned to the earth, something rather...unexpected happened.

Looking up at me were the most exquisite pair of crimson eyes I had ever seen. Set into a face like an angels', I instantly noted how that pale-as-moonlight skin contrasted divinely with messy locks dark as coal. I couldn't help staring into those blood orbs; I felt at any moment that I would become lost in them...and honestly, I found that thought quite appealed to me. It was then I noticed _another_ unexpected reaction.

A sensation of warmth spread through my chest, sending my heart all aflutter. Right away, I knew what this meant.

I had found my mate.

[Sebastian's POV]

It all happened so fast; the all too familiar growl of a hungry predator, being forced to the ground by its massive weight and holding me in place. I can feel my heart thundering in my chest, threatening to burst through my rib cage. I can barely even breathe; whether it is from fear or the wind getting knocked out of me, I cannot say for sure...perhaps a bit of both.

This wretched mongrel is staring at me intently; why? Does he wish to draw out my suffering by torturing me first? The last thing that registered in my mind before I succumbed to the ether were his eyes.

Those piercing, golden eyes.

Claude's ears folded back and a whine escaped his throat; backing away from the rabbit, he shifted into his human form while keeping his gaze locked on the other ravens' unmoving body. Naomi instantly followed suit, knelt down next to the man and instantly went to work checking his vitals. Neither of them said a word for three whole minutes; when she was finished, Naomi stood back up and faced Claude with a burning glare marring her features. Pupils narrowed to slits, tail whipping side to side aggressively and lips pressed together in a tight line. "He's alright...for the most part; just passed out from fear. There was some slight, temporary inhibition of respiratory function, but that was only because somebody knocked the air out of him. Bottom line: the rabbit will live" Naomi listed off her diagnosis in a deadly calm voice. Claude released a breath he didn't know he held and automatically relaxed at the information.

"Naomi...I didn't-" Claude began to explain himself, but was swiftly cut off by a hard slap across the face. The force of the hit so strong, it caused the wolf to fall sideways to the ground. His cheek burned more than it should have; lightly touching his fingers to it, Claude wasn't very surprised to find the fabric of his glove stained red. Naomi had slashed him with her claws.

Claude knew Naomi's reaction was at least partly influenced by lingering energy from the rabbits' emotional state. He could practically see the aura of rage surrounding her and wisely kept his mouth shut to avoid angering the hybrid further. The wolf tried to relay his contrition to the neko through his own aura, but held back on mentioning his newest discovery; she was far too upset to really listen and act reasonably. Thankfully, it seemed to be working; Naomi calmed down a fraction, simmering her fury for the time being. More tense silence fell between them as the female ravenette took a few deep breaths to diffuse her anger. Once she felt calm enough to speak, her face set into a neutral, unaffected mask "If you ever _hope_ to have a chance in hell with Usagi" Naomi pointed at the still body, "I strongly suggest you get as far away from here as possible". The tone in which she said that was cold, low and left absolutely no room for argument. Claude obeyed, returning to his wolf form and retreating in a submissive manner.

Being sure that he was out of range, Naomi raised her arms to the heavens and released a bold of lightning into the sky while screaming at the top of her lungs. A deafening crack of thunder drowned out cries of intense rage; consequently, the electricity had struck a few clouds overhead. After nearly a minute, Naomi collapsed into the dirt on her hands and knees; palms tingling and vocal cords raw from the demonstration of expression. 'Might as well get comfortable; he won't likely wake until much later'. Naomi reverted to her feline shape and curled up at the mans' side for a nap. Her last thought before descending into the realm of dreams being, 'On my honor, I shall protect you'.

[Several hours later]

When Sebastian finally regained consciousness and opened his eyes, he was taken aback at the now dark sky above. "How long have I been out?" [ _If I had to guess, I'd say about six or seven hours; give or take_ ] responded a female voice to his question. Sebastian stiffened and twisted around frantically trying to locate its source. "H-hello, is anyone there?" asked Sebastian in a slightly quivering tone. [ _I'm right next to you; on your left_ ] Glancing down in the mentioned direction, Sebastian saw that the prized pussy cat from earlier was still with him and staring up at the White Rabbit, head cocked to the side. [ _Don't freak out; I happen to be more than just a rare eyed cat_ ] As the sentence registered in his mind, the feline morphed into an adult woman with cat ears atop a head of long, black hair and matching tail swishing back and forth behind her. "First order of business: my name is Naomi and I am a kanjōko; that's the word I coined for a kanjō/neko hybrid". Naomi extended her hand to the man; slowly taking it, he introduced himself as well, "Sebastian".

"So tell me Sebastian; what exactly were you doing here in the first place?" asked Naomi, helping him to his feet. "No specific reason other than the fact I just felt like losing myself during a nice walk". "And yourself?" "I was just enjoying the warm sun; as you probably already guessed, I'm not from around here" Naomi replied. "I figured as much; are you here on business?" "Sort of; I arrived to Wonderland with a friend and we basically act on behalf of the mistress we serve to deliver news and current events on her former home". "I see; are you at liberty to discuss details of your mistress?" Sebastian inquired, curious. "That depends" Naomi halted them in their walk through the forest to stand in front of Sebastian, directing her attention to his tie, "how loyal are you to the Red Queen?" Naomi tapped the ruby heart shaped stone with a dark purple nail, "You wear her symbol so I know at the very least you work under her in some capacity". "I assure you Naomi that my service to the queen is merely that: a service and nothing else. I harbor as much adoration for her as I do a certain annoying Cheshire cat" Sebastian bit out in disgust as a few choice memories came back to him.

"Can I try something; it'll be a faster way to explain everything I want to tell you". "Very well, proceed". "Oh and just a warning: you may experience a splitting headache while I'm doing this". Naomi closed her eyes and placed her palms against Sebastians' temples, "Sokuji chishiki". Within seconds, a large stream of information and flashing images assaulted his mind; Sebastian let out an audible wince of pain, jaws clenched and eyes screwed shut. A few moments passed when Naomi was finished 'telling' Sebastian all he needed to know. "And yes; I can stay with you tonight if you want". The rabbit said nothing to this statement and simply gave her an appreciative smile. The pair continued onward, being led by Sebastian to return to his home.

"The next week wasn't really that eventful or exciting; it mainly consisted of Sebastian and I getting to know each other, hanging out together and just developing our current friendship" Naomi explained, pausing in her story. "Now I turn it over to Mr. Faustus to continue this epic tale of romance and drama; take it away fido". Claude shot a half-hearted sneer to Naomi at the nickname; Hatter could barely contain his boisterous giggles at her quip. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Claude resumed the story from his perspective. "While they were occupied with each others' company, I decided to use the opportunity to enjoy Wonderlands' local scenery as well" Claude smoothly replied. "In other words, you were wallowing in self-pity" Heather retorted in a knowing, smug tone. Claudes' brow twitched in irritation; ignoring any further comments from the peanut gallery, he continued to speak. "Given the circumstances of the situation, my options were quite scarce. I suppose it was sheer dumb luck that I happened to cross paths with whom I believed at the time had been competent enough to assist me in solving my problem".

[Flashback]

Three days following the incident, Claude had been wandering through Wonderland aimlessly. Just like the White Rabbit, the Wolf sought only to lose himself in his thoughts and hopefully figure out a solution to his current predicament. Yet, for all his journeys he knew of only where he _couldn't_ go: wherever Naomi and Sebastian would be. 'The best thing for it right now is keeping my distance; I can only hope there won't be any lasting effects from my attack' Claude mused to himself woefully.

"Greetings and salutations, good fellow!" a voice suddenly called out. Claude looked up to find himself face to face with a strange man. "Oh my, whatever on a magnificent day such as this could cause you to be plagued with melancholy?" the man asked, moving about in an overly dramatic fashion. "I would rather not burden you, but I appreciate your concern". Claude started to leave, only for the other man to cut off his path. "Nonsense; you are clearly distressed and I wish to offer my assistance, if only to lend a sympathetic ear". "Alright; beggars can't be choosers" said Claude with a heavy sigh. "Marvelous; allow me to introduce myself: I am the Mock Turtle, Aleistor Chambers". "Claude Faustus, simply a lycan". Claude extended his hand to Aleistor, who clasped it between both hands and shook it enthusiastically. "Splendid to meet you Claude; come, we'll adjourn to more comfortable settings and continue our discussion at length" Aleistor declared excitedly. Producing a marble sized orb, the Mock Turtle threw it down on the ground enveloping the pair in a cloud of red smoke. When it cleared, they were seated at a white wicker table sitting inside a gazebo decorated with plant boxes of different colored flowers.

A woman wearing a simple peach colored dress and feathered headband appeared quickly pushing a cart of tea and pastries. "Would you and your guest care for some refreshments Master Chambers?" "Thank you Adriana; anything for you, Claude?" "A cup of tea shall suffice". After serving them, Adriana took her leave and left the men to talk amongst themselves. "Please, regale me with your tale of woe Mr. Faustus". "Of course; first and foremost, the problem itself is not a particularly serious one...at least by comparison of an actual emergency" the golden eyed man took a sip of his tea, "it was just recently that I encountered my soul mate". Aleistors' face lit up in joy at this announcement and rose from his chair. "Oh Cupid, once again you have done the difficult deed of piercing someones' heart with your enchanted arrows, thus allowing a seed of love to be planted and potentially grow into a blossom of everlasting care and devotion!" the blond shouted in exuberance. "But wait...how could an event as this be anything but wondrous? Is the fair maiden not yet of age or is she already promised to another?" "Neither; it was actually the way I comported myself when I made first contact. Furthermore, it isn't a 'fair maiden' as you so quaintly put it that I desire...it's, another man" Claude explained, the last two words holding reluctance in their inflection.

The silence that followed his statement was wrought with tension and more deafening than a bigots' horrified shrieks.

"Do you have issue with this development?" asked Claude, unable to take the quiet any longer. Head tilted down slightly and bangs covering his face, Aleistor stood from his seat and spoke in a rare even tone of voice, "After a brief internal debate, I've come to a decision..." without warning, the Mock Turtle raised a hand toward the heavens and gazing upward, "despite my complete inexperience in regards to this specific situation, I believe that I can still be of some help to you Claude Faustus!"

[Claude's POV]

In all honesty, that was the last reaction I was expecting to receive from Aleistor. A huge weight lifted off my shoulders at his seemingly accepting the fact that I prefer a mans' company to a womans'. But still...I need to make sure I am inferring correctly what Chambers' words are implying. Here goes nothing.

I took a deep breath and mentally braced myself for whatever the answer may be to my question. "You- are not disgusted to learn I favor men to warm my bed over women?" I asked, my voice a bit quieter than normal. My face became just a touch heated; no doubt a subtle, pink blush is dusting my cheeks. Even though we know each others' names, I still find it uncomfortably awkward discussing such personal matters with a total stranger. I've always had a slight difficulty opening up about myself to anyone but family and close friends and unfortunately, this has sometimes given others the impression that I am a cold and stoic person by nature.

I promise I am assuredly not.

The Mock Turtle let out a squawk of indignation at the accusation. "You wound me, sir; what right do I to condemn someone for merely following the dictates of their heart? The pear shaped organ knows what it wants and to deny them that opportunity is perhaps one of the greatest and most unforgivable sins one could ever commit!" "The only things that really matter in a relationship is mutually shared feelings of romantic love, passion and of course, that all parties involved are of age to handle the complexities of their bond" Aleistor exclaimed, in a calmer voice this time. "And how do you intend to help me if you yourself are not even homosexual?" "Claude, the solution is very simple: I can teach you how to be confident, how to charm and most importantly...how to seduce" the last three words were spoken in a low, sultry tone.

"Adriana" Aleistor shouted, clapping twice. The woman from earlier swiftly appeared in front of the table, "Did you need something, sir?" asked Adriana, giving a short bow to her master. Aleistor sauntered over to Adriana, gently grasping one of her slender hands in his own and looking directly into her slate gray eyes. "I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate having you in my employ". At this, Adriana's face started to break out in a blush that matched her dress. "When I gaze into your eyes, I can't help but compare them to the soft downy feathers of a pair of penguin chicks; that is how sweet I think they are. Your lovely auburn hair like so much cinnamon sprinkled on a pastry and your skin fresh cream, an all important ingredient to make that delicious pastry; your lips are two ripe cherries that only further garnish the sumptuous dessert and make it even more delectable. I consider it a privilege to bask in the presence of a beautiful lady like yourself".

When he finished lavishing the girl with praise and compliments, her head bore striking resemblance to a tomato and high pitched giggles continuously bubbled up from her throat. "That shall be all for the time being, my precious flamingo" Aleistor whispered to the flustered servant and silently dismissed her with a wave of his hand. Adriana heeded the order and sprinted away, giggling more wildly as she went and partially hiding burning red cheeks behind her palms. "I know what you're thinking, but I sincerely meant every word of what I said to Adriana". "You make it look so easy; I don't think I could even come close to being that suave with him" Claude remarked, a hint of despair lacing his words. "I promise I will do everything I can to help; you just need to believe in yourself Claude and the mystery gent shall be yours" the Mock Turtle declared, having the utmost confidence in this situation turning out favorably for all parties involved.

Unfortunately, that wasn't what ended up happening.

Three days of Aleistor's lessons in love were all for naught; not for lack of a competent instructor, but rather a problem with the student. Claude's retention of all the information on how to woo somebody had been right on point...putting it into practice was another issue entirely. Every time the ravenette tried to use his charm, he would make a mistake, forget a line or even accidentally say something to insult whomever he'd be practicing on. It was getting so bad, Aleistor was nearing his limit of patience and decided that the wolf required something extra to accomplish his goal.

"Drink this". "What is it?" "A very special potion to thaw your frozen tongue and enable you to express all your pent up passion for Mr. X". Throughout the lessons, Aleistor had taken to calling Claudes' crush 'Mister X' since it was revealed that Claude had no idea of his real name. As for the potion, it was a bright red liquid in a bottle shaped like a valentine heart and made of frosted glass.

[Claude's POV]

Taking the bottle from his hand, I turn it over between my fingers and inspect the contents with a bit of apprehension. "Forgive me if I don't totally trust your judgement, but how can I be sure this isn't some kind of poison?" Aleistor was about to protest my statement when I quickly placed my hand over his mouth. "I only bring it up because I've heard stories about certain foods and beverages causing unusual side effects when consumed; one example that comes to mind being a child named Alice going through dramatic physical changes after several doses of the local foodstuffs. Furthermore, I am no good to the mistress I serve should I grow to tower over the trees or am reduced to the size of a squirrel" I rattled off my concerns, removing my hand once I finished speaking. "Fair enough; you should really only require half anyway" Aleistor replied. I'm grateful he understands my worries; I just can't take any risks being so far from home and Naomi. The small cork gave an audible 'pop' as I opened the top and mentally prepared myself for whatever taste may assault my tongue. Bringing it closer to my lips, my nose is hit with a moderately overpowering aroma of spices; to say the least, it's an uncomfortable sensation.

'Only half' I think to myself and quickly gulp down some of the liquid to get it over with. However...the moment that first drop makes contact, it feels as though I'm tasting lava. I force myself to continue drinking until only half remains of the crimson liquid; I can feel my eyes watering from the intensity of the heat. It isn't the temperature of this concoction, but rather the combination of ingredients that gives it an overwhelming burn. I could barely register what was going on around me: a muffled thud of an object hitting the floor, my eyes nearly rolling back in my head, a surge of heat spreading throughout my body and...flamenco music?

My senses returned to normal after a minute or two; I also felt a sudden wave of self-confidence wash over me. And I knew right away I can do this...I can win over that angel faced rabbit and make him mine.


	7. When Ōkami met Usagi Part Two

**Warning: contains adult/sexual themes, language, hints of low self esteem. Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kuroshitsuji**

 **Ōkami - 'wolf' in Japanese**

 **Sora no bōei - 'sky fire defense' in Japanese**

 **Ōkina kiken no jidai - 'in times of great danger' in Japanese**  
 **Mamoru - 'defend' in Japanese**  
 **Kōgeki - 'attack' in Japanese**

* * *

"And that's where Claude made his _second_ mistake; the first obviously being scaring Sebastian shitless" Naomi commented, shooting him a half-hearted scolding look. "Yes, looking back on it now I realize my choice was not the most prudent one" Claude replied curtly, adjusting his glasses and sending a look back at the neko that said 'you don't have to remind me that I screwed up'. "With my new sense of certainty, I set to work on making first contact via a letter". "That's how it started out: a clandestine correspondence love affair that would surely last only a short time because it was being fueled by _fake passion_ " came Heather's chastising remark. "As I was saying" Claude began, putting strong emphasis on his words to indicate his annoyance at being interrupted, "I had no way of knowing if Naomi was still angry or not, so I relied on a few of Wonderlands' local inhabitants to ensure my letters got to Sebastian". "Among other things like flower bouquets and small gifts that were quote/unquote tokens of his affection". "Would you like to tell the story Naomi because you seem to know it better than I" Claude bit out, a tad more harsh than he intended. "I'd love to, mister grumpy paws" said Naomi in a teasing tone. Hatter burst into a fit of giggles at the nickname after a long period of silently listening to what was being said and restraining himself. "I think I'll start by regaling our honored guest with the contents of this" Naomi pulled out a folded sheet of paper from her pocket and waved it in the air to show everyone before unfolding it.

Claude instantly recognized the paper as his first missive to Sebastian and paled white as a sheet at what was going to happen next.

Naomi cleared her throat and began to read the letter out loud in a deep, slightly accented voice meant to mimic Claudes'. "You don't know me, but I have seen you from afar. The lithe shape of your form, your graceful movements and hair like liquid onyx have enraptured my attention. Are you an Angel or a Succubus, for to have such an aura of beauty surrounding you must be a grave sin indeed! And though I have yet the privilege to gaze upon your visage, there is no doubt in my mind that your face is as lovely as your backside! Signed, your secret admirer". By the end of the reading, Hatter was full on cackling in mirth along with the other servants; even Sebastian was trembling from stifled chuckles. Meanwhile, Claude had turned red as a cherry at the action of his private thoughts being shared with so many others.

It took a full six minutes for everyone to calm down and regain their composure. By this point, Sebastian decided to pick up where Naomi and Claude left off. "As you can well imagine Hatter, I was quite surprised to say the least at receiving a letter that so generously described my physical appearance".

[Sebastian's POV]

It has been almost a week since that wolf jumped me for no apparent reason, other than the fact it could. And although the experience was horrifying, I find myself more confused than scared at the event. I suppose that is mainly due to the unexplainable circumstances occurring; for example, the fact that I didn't in any way detect its presence. Not to brag, but as a Rabbit I have excellent senses and some random scourge of the canine species being able to get the drop on me is most troubling. Another strange aspect is that even after getting me into an extremely vulnerable position...it did nothing but stare down at me. I wasn't in any kind of mood to be eaten mind you, but I can't help wonder why that wolf pounced if it had no intention of killing me. And if I am being completely honest with myself...a small part of me believes that mongrel will come back and finish what it started. Having my new friend Naomi around these past few days has helped ease my nerves, but she has informed me that she can only stay for one more day before returning home to serve her mistress, the White Queen.

Logically, I realize Naomi would have to leave eventually, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried about being alone again.

"Don't worry Usagi; any vicious beast that wants to try and make you its next meal will have to answer to me!" Naomi assured me with such confidence. She had taken to calling me 'Usagi' as a nickname over the course of her visitation because it means 'rabbit' in Japanese. I rather liked the new moniker she gave me, but I digress. "How do you intend to protect me from such a vast distance away?" I asked, attempting to keep my voice even and calm. However, I could easily tell from that look she sent me that Naomi is quite aware of my underlying nervousness. "I have just the thing". From her pocket, she produced a raw stone of amethyst; before giving it to me, she cupped it between both of her palms and began to say a spell. "Sora no bōei ōkina kiken no jidai". Streams of bluish light leaked out through her fingers as the stone briefly glowed. As she placed in my own hand, I could feel a slight, pulsating warmth emanating from the object. "This piece of amethyst has been blessed; it can tap directly into my active power of electrokinesis. You can create a shield or summon bolts of lightning depending on which activation word is spoken: 'mamoru' for defend and 'kōgeki' for attack. But be sparing with how often you use it because it draws upon my own energy to make it work and at the wrong time, it could me serious harm" she explained, her tone taking a sober lilt.

"If it poses so much potential risk, why are you letting me have all this power?" I asked quietly, feeling a mix of concern and confusion. "You're my friend, Sebastian; I care about your well being and I trust you not to abuse the gift". "After all...you _are_ one hell of a rabbit" she finished with a small smirk and embraced me for a goodbye hug. I returned the embrace and we parted ways from there, both of us going back home.

"And after all this time, you still have yet to overuse the amethyst stone; I'm very proud of my bunny pal" Naomi chirped, glancing between Sebastian and Undertaker as she spoke. "Of course, nowadays I rarely even need to use it since I have a big, strong guard dog" Sebastian added, teasingly. Directing their gazes to the mentioned lycan, excluding Hatter, neither of the group were surprised that in Claudes' place was a black wolf lying on the floor and hiding behind the armchair. "Well, since Ōkami is pouting and most likely clammed up...it's up to us to finish this tale of romance and drama" Heather exclaimed, gesturing to herself, Naomi and Sebastian. "Cutting to the chase, that first letter was breathtaking...albeit a bit silly". Claude let out a groaning whine at Sebastians' description. "And all subsequent notes included with the small gifts he sent me were sweet and flattering". "But by the third correspondence, I couldn't shake the strong feeling I had that all this effort was merely a means to an end". "Translation: Sebastian thought Claude only acted like a charmer to get in his pants" clarified Naomi, arms crossed and sending an admonishing look to the wolf. "Fortunately, on her next visit to Wonderland gathering news, Naomi was made aware of the situation and immediately sought to do damage control" supplied Heather.

[Flashback]

[Naomi's POV]

I finally get to visit Sebastian again; I know it's only been a few months, but it feels like a whole lot longer to me! I can't wait to see how he and Claude have been doing since they started writing to each other. I'm practically dancing on air as I race through the forest in my cat form to reach his home. Running on four legs instead of two, I can get around much faster and it doesn't take very long at all for me to reach my destination. Returning to my human form, I step up to the front door and knock; about a minute later, Sebastian opens the door and greets me with a smile. But wait, something's wrong...he seems so sad; I don't have to be a kanjō to know that something obviously happened in between trips.

"Usagi, is everything alright?" I ask, not wanting to invade his privacy by just finding out the answer with my powers. His brows furrow slightly and he heads back inside; I follow him and shut the door, watching as he takes a seat on a black sofa. At first, he just sat there head down and an aura filled with sorrow surrounding him. "Sebastian..." I start to say in a voice no louder than a whisper. Suddenly, he pulls out a couple folded sheets of paper from his breast jacket pocket and hands them to me. Taking and unfolding them, I see they're letters - specifically, letters that Claude sent Sebastian; I was about to question why he gave me these when I spared a glance at the words written.

' _Sebastian_ ,

 _Yours is a beauty unparalleled by no other_. _How I long to worship that graceful body and watch as you writhe in ecstasy beneath me_. _I can scarcely begin to imagine the texture of your pale skin or even the delectable taste that is your essence_ '.

I couldn't read anymore without losing it; this is nothing but - shameless foreplay for a quick fuck! I mused to myself; in that moment, it occurred to me what was going on.

"Oh Sebas-" "I should've known better; he only wants me for my body" Sebastian said out of the blue, cutting me off mid sentence. My feline ears twitched at the sounds of soft sobbing; I looked over to Sebastian, who had his face buried in his palms and crying. It broke my heart to see him like this, but at the same time I felt my blood start to boil a little in anger at what my old friend had done to my new friend. And right away, I developed a conflict.

Comfort Sebastian or Kill Claude?

"Uh, Usagi; what do you want me to do?" I asked, giving Sebastian the choice over my next course of action.

[Sebastian's POV]

"Uh, Usagi; what do you want me to do?" I heard Naomi ask, concern and uncertainty in her voice. I appreciate that she didn't just leave me to go take care of that bastard...not that I would've minded all that much. "I think- I'd like to be alone right now" I replied, my voice barely audible and quivering lightly through my tears. "That's fine, Sebastian; perfectly understandable. I'm gonna go set a certain Romeo straight; I promise I'll be back as soon as I can to help you through this". Naomi spoke hurriedly as she said all that, indicating she was working hard to keep her emotions in check. I heard the door open and close quickly along with footsteps; it makes me feel a little better knowing she's rushed off to kick his ass.

[Naomi's POV]

'I'm gonna kill him, I'm gonna kill him' I chanted in my head over and over. Anger does not even _begin_ to describe how I feel right now; I swear, once I get my claws on him...

Using my kanjō abilities, I make quick work of locating that despicable cad. Hackles raised and tail whipping dangerously back and forth, I spot him in the clearing where all of this started. "Hey, Emperor Claudius!" I shout to gain his attention. He turns around and I sprint toward him, stopping only when I'm six inches from his jerky face.

"Naomi, my dear and beloved companion; how are you this fine afternoon?" "Mad as hell" the neko spat, placing her hands on her hips. "Whatever could put such a fair maiden as you in a mood so foul?" "You, dumbass and don't think you can talk your way out of this by flattering me". "Oh, but darling" Claude gently grasped both of Naomi's hands in his and got into a waltz pose, "I sincerely mean the words I speak to your immeasurable loveliness". Naomi could only gape at Claude as he started leading her into a dance. "Are you drunk?" she asked, incredulously. "Drunk on love...and your charm" Claude suavely retorted. As the two ravenettes danced to no music in the middle of the clearing, Naomi noticed something was off about the man other than his behavior.

'It's not even hot outside and Claude is sweating' Naomi silently observed. Once they dipped, Naomi took the opportunity to touch his forehead with her palm. "Claude, you're hot" she announced in alarm. "And you are gorgeous beyond compare. Run away with me, Naomi; we'll make beautiful pups together". "Dream on, Claude; I don't like you that way. Hell, I'm not even your type!" "Of course you are; my type is any delicious specimen that catches my eye". They had begun the waltz again and Naomi's rage was instantly replaced with worry for her friend. "As to the former, that is simply an irrelevant detail when you consider that we have fiery passion" Claude crooned, twirling her to the side and ceasing the dance. 'Fiery passion; oh no' realization hit the kanjōkō like a freight train. 'Claude is under the influence of a potion, and a very dangerous one at that'. "You need not a map if you get lost in my eyes, for I shall guide you back to reality". "My hero" came Naomi's sarcastic response. "I merely offer my service as a gentleman; your gratitude is unnecessary". Naomi rolled her eyes at the statement, ignoring Claudes' inability to recognize her sarcasm. "Claude, can you stand still for a few moments; I want to see what a charming lycan has been doing with himself...particularly four months back" said Naomi, putting on a 'subdued damsel' act and playing along with the situation. "Anything for you, sweet princess". The wolf did as told and stood like a statue with his head tilted downward partly; Naomi placed her palms over Claudes' eyes and concentrated on searching for his memories of their last visit to Wonderland.

[Flashback - Claude's memories]

 _"Greetings and salutations, good fellow!" a voice suddenly called out. Claude looked up to find himself face to face with a strange man. "Oh my, whatever on a magnificent day such as this could cause you to be plagued with melancholy?" the man asked, moving about in an overly dramatic fashion. "I would rather not burden you, but I appreciate your concern". Claude started to leave, only for the other man to cut off his path. "Nonsense; you are clearly distressed and I wish to offer my assistance, if only to lend a sympathetic ear". "Alright; beggars can't be choosers" said Claude with a heavy sigh. "Marvelous; allow me to introduce myself: I am the Mock Turtle, Aleistor Chambers". "Claude Faustus, simply a lycan". Claude extended his hand to Aleistor, who clasped it between both hands and shook it enthusiastically. "Splendid to meet you Claude; come, we'll adjourn to more comfortable settings and continue our discussion at length" Aleistor declared excitedly.  
_ -  
 _"Please, regale me with your tale of woe Mr. Faustus". "Of course; first and foremost, the problem itself is not a particularly serious one...at least by comparison of an actual emergency" the golden eyed man took a sip of his tea, "it was just recently that I encountered my soul mate". Aleistors' face lit up in joy at this announcement and rose from his chair. "Oh Cupid, once again you have done the difficult deed of piercing someones' heart with your enchanted arrows, thus allowing a seed of love to be planted and potentially grow into a blossom of everlasting care and devotion!" the blond shouted in exuberance._

 _"After a brief internal debate, I've come to a decision..." without warning, the Mock Turtle raised a hand toward the heavens and gazing upward, "despite my complete inexperience in regards to this specific situation, I believe that I can still be of some help to you Claude Faustus!"_

 _"And how do you intend to help me if you yourself are not even homosexual?" "Claude, the solution is very simple: I can teach you how to be confident, how to charm and most importantly...how to seduce" the last three words were spoken in a low, sultry tone._

 _"Drink this". "What is it?" "A very special potion to thaw your frozen tongue and enable you to express all your pent up passion for Mr. X". Throughout the lessons, Aleistor had taken to calling Claudes' crush 'Mister X' since it was revealed that Claude had no idea of his real name. As for the potion, it was a bright red liquid in a bottle shaped like a valentine heart and made of frosted glass._

The next scene Naomi saw was Claude drinking half of the bottle before it fell out of his hand. Right away she knew what the man called 'Aleistor' had given him. 'As if I didn't have enough on my plate; now I have to cure Claude of his reckless passion' Naomi groaned internally. "What might be distressing you so to cause such a lovely face be marred by a grimace?" Claude asked suddenly, snapping Naomi from her thoughts. "Oh, I uh, couldn't help notice you look a tad peaked; I think I should take you home to rest". Claude said nothing in response at first, only giving Naomi a small smile. "Your thoughtfulness and consideration for my welfare makes you that much more beautiful in body and soul". "Okay, I'm confused; are you agreeing to cut our trip early or not?" His mouth turned down into a slight frown, "Far be it from me to deny a lady her request, but we have a task to accomplish for our mistress. Besides that, I feel fantastic and I would hate to keep her waiting any longer than necessary" the raven haired male struck a small pose: looking upward, he turned away and covered his eyes with his arm above his head. "Figures you'd say something like that" Naomi muttered through a sigh under her breath. "Pardon?" asked Claude, redirecting his attention to the neko.

"I said" Naomi cleared her throat and shifted her weight to one foot, making her hips jut to the side, "Faustus...what's the point of living if you don't take the time to be a little naughty every now and then?" Naomi's voice was husky with lust, her tail flicking seductively and her eyes half lidded. Fluttering her lashes, she continued speaking words laced with a demure sweetness, "Since you are feeling so... _fantastic_...why don't we play a game of chase; you can be the big bad wolf out hunting for a fresh catch and I'll be the innocent kitty who's lost her way". Throughout her 'flirtations', Naomi placed her hands on Claudes' shoulders, rubbed up against his chest and other tiny gestures to spur his interest. However, Claude managed to restrain himself from indulging in temptation...if only just.

"Pretty please, Claude; I know how much you're itching to frolic in all that freshly fallen snow back home" Naomi playfully pouted, maintaining her flirty voice. "And I know for a fact" Claude exhaled sharply at a hand suddenly cupping his manhood and palming it teasingly, "that _he_ wants to frolic in the fields as well" whispered Naomi, referring to his partly erect cock. The final nail in the coffin was Naomi sensually and slowly licking up Claudes' neck making him shiver in pleasure. A growl erupted from his throat and the lenses of his glasses fogged over instantly. Claude calmly removed his glasses to wipe away the fog and placed them back on his face. Sliding them up the bridge of his nose, he stared at the ground silently for a few seconds before uttering a single word in a dangerously low tone, " ** _Run_** ".

[Naomi's POV]

" ** _Run_** " I heard Claude say - or actually, growl under his breath, but I could hear it clear as day. Slowly, I stepped backwards and kept my gaze locked on the body in front of me. I guess he's giving me a head start, I surmised. Once he was no longer in my sight, I spun on my heels and started running as fast I could to put as much distance as possible between us. My cat ears twitched as I picked up the sounds of paws hitting the dirt and rapid panting breaths. That meant only one thing: Claude was in his wolf form.

Maybe my plan worked a little too well?

As I ran, I used my kanjō powers to send a distress signal to one of the others at the castle.

' _Guys, we have a situation; Claude is under the influence of a Reckless Passion potion and is currently chasing me back towards Kōri-chi. Whoever gets this communication first, meet me outside by the frozen lake. And hurry!_ '

Taking out a marble sized ball from my pocket, I slowed down some and threw it on the ground; a large hole quickly formed and I jumped into it, thinking of where I wanted to end up on the other side.

[Heather's POV]

' _Guys, we have a situation; Claude is under the influence of a Reckless Passion potion and is currently chasing me back towards Kōri-chi. Whoever gets this communication first, meet me outside by the frozen lake. And hurry!_ ' I was startled awake as Naomi's rushed voice echoed inside my head. I automatically recognized it as one of her mind link messages; realizing the urgency and context of the message, I did as she instructed and lept out the window in order to reach the bottom of the castle quickly. Using my vampire speed, I ran as fast as unnaturally possible to get to the edge of the lake located not terribly far from the palace.

When I got there, I was just in time to catch Naomi emerge from a rabbit hole on the opposite side. I also saw a large furry mass come out not a minute later before the hole shrunk and disappeared. Naomi shifted to a cat and practically flew across the ice to get to safety. I knew exactly what she had in mind; my timing had to be perfect in order for this to work out just right. Kissing my knuckles, I counted the seconds in my head and knelt on the ground to where I was only about three inches from the edge.

' _One...Two...Three!_ '

With all my strength, I slammed my fist against the solid surface as hard as I could. Within the span of mere seconds, the ice cracked and broke crumbling into several pieces, Naomi (as a cat) pounced from her spot and landed into my waiting arms, preventing her from taking a dip and lastly, Claude sunk into the icy waters slightly more than halfway across.

I felt Naomi leave my embrace and saw that she changed back to a human; we both watched the place where Claude vanished with bated breath. "Shouldn't he have come up by now?" I asked, whispering. Naomi sat wordlessly next to me, a look on her face expressing that she wasn't quite sure what to do or expect now.

[Naomi's POV]

I heard Heather's voice asking me question, but I didn't really register what it is she said; I was far too preoccupied searching for Claude in the lake. This is the first time I've personally dealt with the consequences of Reckless Passion and I had prior knowledge of how to counteract the effects and cure it...I just don't know if I was able to save him in time. Another minute or two passed before a hand shot out of the water and reached for something solid to grab onto. I had been startled a bit but immediately recovered and tightly grasped the limb in my own hands.

"Help me pull him out!" I shouted to Heather, pulling towards me. Heather took the other arm that popped up along with the back of Claudes' shirt collar. Claude was gasping, coughing and shivering violently as we got him all the way out of the water and helped him onto his feet, but he was alive. Now would come the hard part: the aftermath.

"It took a week for Claude to recover from his hypothermia and the bad cold he ultimately caught". "Correction; I had pneumonia and I was sick for almost a month!" Claude interjected without warning. "Aw, did puppy not enjoy his polar bear swim...because frankly, I think you deserved it after making Usagi feel like he was just another passing fling!" berated Heather, her tone seamlessly switching from a mocking pout to a normal angry shout. " _Guys_...you're both wrong; it was the flu for two weeks" Naomi said, ending a potential argument before it even began. " _As_ I was saying...Claude was no longer affected by his lust sickness, but it would take a lot of work to get him back to proper health. After getting him stabilized, I immediately contacted Sebastian and informed him of the current situation, albeit vaguely". "And despite whatever I may have felt towards Claude at the time" Sebastian began, trailing off. "I still thought he deserved to know that I" Naomi paused, sighing out a breath and collecting her thoughts, "practically threw myself at him with my overly solicitous flirtations". The room grew quiet for a moment, a dusky blush painting Naomi's cheeks at the memory of that day.

[Flashback]

It had been two weeks since that eventful day; Claude was fully recovered from his illness and other negative effects of exposure. During that time, Naomi kept her promise and returned to Wonderland to check on Sebastian after making sure that Claude was in stable condition. When she eventually got back to his home, Naomi found the rabbit on the couch asleep and dried tear tracks on his face. Neither the Wolf nor the White Rabbit had exchanged a single communication since then and both ravenettes seemed to somewhat move on from each other. Emphasis on 'seemed'.

It was a slow day around the castle and everyone went about their own business doing as they pleased to entertain themselves. All the inhabitants were quite content with this bit of down time...all except one lone wolf in particular.

[Claudes' POV]

There was nothing immediately important to be taken care of, so I decided to use this opportunity to just wander the halls of the palace and clear my head. Those months when I had taken leave of my senses, I stayed partially aware of my surroundings and my actions, but there were still scattered gaps in my memory. I remember writing those letters and sending Sebastian various tokens of my affection, however near the end...it was as if my mind was enveloped in a thick, humid mist. Naomi helped fill in the blanks by showing me what _she_ observed from my inebriated behavior; needless to say, I was mortified when I saw myself flirting with one of my oldest friends. And when she returned the attention back to me...I shuddered at the memory, rubbing the exact spot where she licked my neck. I swear, I can still feel that rough tongue and the now uncomfortable sensation it elicited. Naomi explained that she had been using her abilities as a kanjō to protect herself against my 'reckless passion' as she so eloquently phrased it and that the phantom sensation would eventually go away. But what bothered me the most was knowing I had screwed up again in regards to winning over my mate.

Yes, Naomi didn't hesitate to impress upon me how much damage I caused with my actions. How much I hurt Sebastian, making him believe that I only desire him for his body. I will freely admit that I have fantasized about him once or twice, but he's more than just a future conquest to me! I want _all_ of Sebastian, for however long he will have me...

[ _Then tell_ him _that...in a letter; a real one this time_ ] It gave me a start to here Naomi's voice invade my mind. I looked down and she was staring at me as a cat, sitting on the floor. [ _I was listening to your pity party monologue and I happen to agree; you totally screwed the pooch on this one, if you'll pardon the expression_ ] My already low hopes were sinking even further into the abyss; maybe I should cut my losses altogether? [ _You see, there's your problem: your self-confidence leaves a lot to be desired and you're too easily selling yourself short_ ] She lept from the floor all the way onto my shoulders perched like a bird. [ _Listen, confidence comes from experience and impulsive, spontaneous actions;_ not _by drinking a magical concoction you got from a weird stranger_ ] "But you told me so yourself; Sebastian wants nothing more to do with me". Naomi made a disapproving growl and instantly, my body jerked sharply at a set of little fangs harshly nipping my canine ear. [ _I showed you how he reacted to callous subtext in your last letter; that wasn't an automatic disqualification_ ] [ _Claude...if you are really honest about your feelings and explain your mistake, there may be hope for you yet_ ] I sighed heavily and replied, "What have I got to lose?" [ _That's the spirit; I'll even help you from a supportive standpoint_ ]

[Three days later]

Naomi had returned to Wonderland, Claudes' missive in tow and feeling cautiously hopeful that everything would work out for the best. Upon arriving at his home, she knocked on the door and waited for the owner to let her inside. Within a few minutes, the door opened and Naomi was greeted by Sebastian...only for her shrink back at the strong aura of sorrow in the air. "How nice to see you again" Sebastian half-heartedly greeted in a soft voice. He gestured for her to enter and closed the door behind the neko once clear of the doorjamb. "I won't pussyfoot around, so here it goes" Naomi produced some folded papers from her pocket and held it out to the rabbit, "I have a letter from Claude that I want you to read before you make any final judgements about him" she rattled off quickly. Sebastian stared at the note with slightly wide eyes before regaining his neutral composure. "What does that cad want _now_?" Sebastian asked, icily. "Another chance; he's different this time, I promise!" Naomi exclaimed, a hint of desperation in her voice. "Save it, I'm over the man; those two weeks of peace were a welcome change from eating up his tender lies". "I know for a fact _that's_ not true". Sebastian plopped down on the couch, dragging a hand over his face tiredly. "I hate being made to feel like I'm just some pretty plaything that will get tossed aside once they've gotten their fill of me" said Sebastian, voice low and flat but with an edge of sadness. "Usagi, please...just keep an open mind, read the letter and if you still can't stand him afterwards...I will take you to Claude so you can personally bitch slap him yourself".

"Very well" Sebastian relented, through a heavy sigh. Taking the letter and opening it, Sebastian started to read to himself.

' _My dearest kitten,_

 _First, let me explain and make abundantly clear that the man whom you corresponded with was merely a fraudulent facade. I am ashamed to admit it, but I took a cowards' shortcut and sought help from a local resident named Aleistor Chambers. After a couple days of failed teachings for how to be seductive, he gave a potion he said would aid my ability (or lack thereof) in conversing with the object of my desire. I foolishly trusted him and paid the price: becoming somebody I'm not and deeply hurting the one I care for. It also nearly cost me the whole of who I am as a person due to the nature of the spicy liquid; Naomi explained to me what exactly it was that I had taken and the inevitable, ghastly outcome that would have transpired. Rest assured that she discovered my condition in time and was thus able to act accordingly to return me to normal._

Second, I have given you the impression that my intentions for courting you are the furthest from being pure. For this, I sincerely apologize; I don't expect you to forgive me so readily, or possibly at all...I just want you to know that I deeply regret the way I comported myself since our initial indirect meeting. Who I am, the

real _Claude Faustus...is an awkward introvert. That is, to say that I've never been the most capable of making small talk and properly socializing with other people. I have always been somewhat withdrawn and stoic towards others; even with my own family. Such attitude and behavior on my part caused people to believe I was cold and emotionless. This simply is not the case; I do possess the ability to connect with someone else and get close to them, but it takes time for me to open up and allow them inside. I guess you could say I'm better suited to playing the strong, silent type. But I digress._

All I have ever wanted for myself is to find that one individual who is meant to be my mate. I knew I'd experience a certain feeling once I crossed paths with them, and after so long...I finally found that special someone.

You, Sebastian Michaelis are the one who is my soul mate.

I won't presume to think you believe in that kind of thing, but it is what

I _believe in and I want you to know that. Do what you will with this information._

Furthermore, I've never really been involved with another person in regards to romantic relationships. There have been strangers and people I barely know from which I sought physical satisfaction, but those instances were just meaningless sex; none of them even

remotely _resonated with my being as much as you do. And while I_ am _attracted to you, I want more than your body...I want your heart and your soul. In turn, I want to give you all of_ me _, if you'll accept it._

Whatever you choose to do or think, I will support your decision. No matter what it may be.

Sincerely,

\- C.F

'

By the time he finished reading the letter, Sebastian was in awe and unable to speak. "Sebastian, how do you feel?" asked Naomi, whispering. She laid a hand on his shoulder, waiting for any kind of reaction; still staring at the page Sebastian replied, "I'd like to see him. In person". "Uh, okay...did you mean right now or at a later date?" "The soonest he is available will suffice".


	8. When Ōkami Met Usagi Part Three

**Warning: for language, severe depressional states**

 **Kusuguri (Japanese for 'tickling')**

 **Kotowaru (Japanese for 'separate'?) - I don't quite remember the actual translation**

 **Upelkuchen (the cake in Alice in Wonderland that makes her grow in size)**

 **mignardises (French for 'mini pastries' or 'dessert'; synonym is petit fours)**

* * *

"That was even more beautiful the _first_ time I heard this story!" Everyone turned at the voice that suddenly sounded off. Standing in the doorway was a very short girl with long blond hair in pompoms and a low ponytail wearing a red dress and purple heels. The dress itself was mostly simple in design with only dark blue lace trimming at the bottom and going halfway around a black circle of fabric with different colored gemstones adorning it and ridged sleeves that hung from her shoulders and covered her upper arms. In her hair to the side was a magenta bow with polka dots. With the dress stopping just a couple inches above her knees and her big green eyes, she looked every bit a child. Pulling out a handkerchief, she dabbed at her eyes and tucked it back in her pocket. "Please tell me your precious White Queen doesn't employ children and that this is just someones' kid" Hatter bemoaned grimly, his expression instantly turning into one of slight dread. "Well 'hello to you' too Mr. Conclusion Jumper; my name is Ivy and I am much older than my physical appearance would suggest!" Ivy huffed indignantly. "I may be the youngest out of all my sisters, but I have breasts and I know where babies come from!" Ivy crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at the silver haired man. Unfortunately, it looked more like the pout of an angry kitten and failed to deliver the desired effect.

"Are you trying to scowl again; I swear Ivy, it's a fools' errand. You're just too adorable to look fierce". Following the voice, another girl entered; similar in height to the first, she had black hair in a high ponytail on her head, a black and white dress that touched the floor and black straps to hold it up that rested at her elbows. However, this girl had mismatched eyes: one green, one gray and bi-colored skin with scars trailing down her face and where her right arm connected to her torso. Hatter could swear they resembled stitch marks. Around her neck was a plain black choker that had a silver circle shaped pendant hanging from it. "Pardon my sister; she can be a little absentminded from time to time. I'm Delilah". "You don't have to apologize for me Dell; my mind is _very_ present! And _he's_ the one who started it!" Ivy stomped her foot during her mini rant, further expressing her displeasure at the situation. "Well, I'm ending it...but she's correct: we are indeed of age and permissibly service the queen of this land" Delilah explained, darting her gaze from Ivy to Hatter as she spoke. "Now, why are all of you holed up in here?" asked Delilah, although she already knew the answer. "I believe we were waiting for this so-called 'white queen' that everyone keeps talking about to arrive" answered Hatter. "Then you have been waiting for nothing; she's not even in the castle right now". As soon as Delilah said this, the entire room sounded off with groans. "I thought she was taking her sweet ass time!" Heather cried out in realization. Suddenly, Ivy's face exploded in color and eyes wide as saucers, "Oops, I _knew_ I was forgetting something" the tiny blond mumbled quietly before darting out of the room like a flash.

"I rest my case. Now onto more important matters". Delilah opened the doors all the way, allowing space for a serving trolley to be wheeled inside. The cart was being pushed by a woman that somewhat resembled Delilah: same skin, same eyes, but a completely different outfit and hair. "You all have literally been talking for hours and it's my job to make sure you remember to eat" said the woman, in a maternal tone. "This is my twin, Magnolia but we call her Maggie; sis, this is the half-frozen silverette I told you about". The new female known as 'Maggie' had auburn hair in an up-do with wavy locks framing her face. Her dress was like something out of a Victorian fairy tale: mostly dark blue with a purple corset, collar, lacy trimming on the sleeves and bottom of the top part as well as a belt-like strip of fabric with dangling gold charms. Upon closer inspection, one could tell it was actually a two piece outfit that could pass as a whole garment. The sleeves were full length, becoming puffy at the elbows and various borders of silver bits for decoration. The skirt was also quite puffy and bunched closed like a drawstring pouch at the knees. On her feet were black dress heels and on her head was a blue hat with multicolored baubles and black lace hanging down in front of part of her face.

"Alright...for Claude and Naomi, I have one of your usual favorites. For Sebastian, I have a plain cheesecake and an assortment of various mignardises ranging from sweet to substantial depending on what you're craving at the moment. And for our guest, I fixed you something light given your current state of health" Maggie announced, handing each person their specified dish. "I can make you something else if you're still hungry afterwards". Turning her attention to the purple haired woman, "Heather...if you will please follow me, I have _your_ meal prepared elsewhere". Heather gave a nod in understanding and rose to her feet; both women exited the parlor side by side, earning a confused glance from Hatter after watching the scene. "What's with her?" "You mean her acting all polite and proper and then turning into a mildly sassy bitch; that's just how she's always been for as long as we've known her" Naomi explained in between bites of food. "Also, she doesn't like to eat in front of strangers to avoid scaring them off or weirding them out depending on how she chooses to feed at the time" supplied Delilah, seating herself in Heather's spot. "You make it sound like she's a vampire" Hatter quipped, jokingly. Everyone in the room instantly froze for a second before resuming eating. Undertaker immediately noticed this reaction, but decided not to say anything more on the subject.

He would ask Heather personally the next time he saw her.

After dinner, it had been decided that the story would be continued sometime tomorrow. For now, the group had become rather fatigued upon being made aware of the lateness of the hour. Despite the bit of improvement in his condition, Hatter still had to be taken back to his room in the wheelchair from earlier, this time by Naomi. "We just don't want you unnecessarily straining your body while you heal" is what had been the nekos' reason when he questioned her about it.

On the trip back, Hatter was able to catch a passing glimpse of Sebastian and Claude together in their bedroom. The latter was in his wolf form on a king size mattress and nuzzling lovingly against the formers' stomach; for whatever reason, the sight caused Hatter to experience a faint, dull ache in his heart. "Sōgi, are you alright?" asked Naomi, taking note of his change in demeanor. Hatter didn't respond at first; she was about to ask again when the silver haired man spoke. "They look so happy together; I hope Sebastian knows how lucky he is to have found true love" said Hatter, in a rare, somber tone. "Everyone seems to have at least one person that loves them, be it platonic or romantic; everyone except Adrian Mallory. Nobody ever stays longer than a cup of tea...perhaps no one would even take notice if I died? And why should they; I'm just a creepy weirdo who is only good for a cheap laugh and nothing else". Naomi slowed her pace a fraction, but continued wheeling Undertaker to his room. "You said 'everyone except Adrian Mallory'; who might that be?" "I am; that is my real name". "Interesting...have you ever told anybody _else_ who you really are?" The question gave Undertaker pause; as far as he knew, everyone in Wonderland only recognized him as 'Hatter' or 'Undertaker'. His real name had been something the man kept to himself for the simple fact that there was no point in divulging that information. The silverettes' rationale for this was that as soon as someone heard his true name, it'd be forgotten within the span of a conversation; lost to the dark void of a persons' subconscious. Most wouldn't bother expending the effort to hold onto it...and if they did, it would just be out of some insincere, selfish reason. 'Say my name, earn a favor from the insane, silver haired freak' Hatter bitterly mused to himself.

And yet...there was a vague recollection in the back of his mind. A blurry image and indistinguishable dialogue showing the Mad Hatter doing exactly that: sharing his real name with another person. Hatter tried to remember, to make the image clearer and hopefully figure out who they were; unfortunately, it burned away like filmstrip left underneath a projector light too long and a sharp pain replaced the missing memory. Eyes screwed shut, jaws clenched and palms pressed hard against his temples in an attempt to ease the headache, Hatter was unaware of his surroundings and what was going on. Then, as quickly as it came...Hatters' arms fell down to his sides and head slumped forward.

[Naomi's POV]

Sōgi got really quiet all of a sudden; darting in front of the chair, my eyes widened in concern at the sight of his limp body. Grasping his shoulders, I lightly shook him trying to get a reaction, "Sōgi...Sōgi, wake up; this is no time to be joking around". Before I even knew what was happening, my body felt like it was made of lead; I fell backwards, almost like I were floating for a couple seconds...then it all went black.

Two pairs of footsteps came running down the hall at the sound of a dull thud against the floor.

[Wonderland - A few days prior]

Not long after the March Hare and the Red Queen had left the library, the Cheshire Cat was on his own; a somewhat rare occurrence ever since Angelina had begun...training him. He visibly shuddered at a memory of what happened to him when Grell had wandered off one time; the aftermath was...unpleasant to say the least. Ever since then, Grell kept his head down unless ordered to look upon the queen, stayed glued to her hip unless allowed or ordered to go somewhere else. Hell, he barely _breathed_ without waiting for Madame Reds' permission.

That was how badly his spirit had been broken. He feared her punishments far too greatly to do anything but exist for the Red Queens' whims and amusement. And he had been extremely well behaved after that particular day. Until that incident just a few minutes earlier. Looking down at his hands, Grell saw there was blood lightly staining the tips of his fingers. All color drained from his face making the cat look like the undead and his body trembled violently.

There was no doubt in his mind that he'd be getting a terrible dose of discipline after that stunt.

A card guard half stepped through the door frame into the room and informed Grell that the queen wanted to see him in her royal chambers immediately. Reluctantly, he followed and was led to what he was sure would be his undoing. Once they arrived outside the door - a set of double doors painted red with ornate crystal knobs and gaudy decorations - he gave a strong knock and waited for a verbal confirmation to open the door. "Enter" came the feminine voice with a brusque edge to it. The guard opened one of the doors and ushered Grell inside; as soon as it closed, the sound it made was almost deafening in his ears. "Don't just stand there; come here!" Madame Red bellowed. Grell obediently strode forward and stopped a couple feet in front of her. The Red Queen sat on the edge of her circular mattress, arms crossed over her chest, face set in a fierce scowl and legs wrapped up in thick gauze from the puncture marks. The tension between them was stiflingly thick, only made worse by the silence accompanying it. Another minute passed before either of them spoke. "Well...what have you got to say for yourself?" Madame Red asked, her tone even despite her overwhelming rage.

[Grell's POV]

"Well...what have you got to say for yourself?" I heard her ask in that deadly calm tone of hers. Immediately I decided to go for broke and appeal to Angelinas' ego; I knew doing so was my only chance of coming out of this fiasco relatively unscathed. Whether it worked or not was yet to be seen.

[Madame Red's POV]

All of a sudden, my kitty dropped to his knees: face down on the floor, ears flattened against that crown of splayed out red locks and tail lying limply next to his legs. I arched a brow in slight confusion and waited for whatever may happen next.

"Please forgive me, my most merciful and benevolent queen! I swear it wasn't my intention to mar your lovely skin with my claws, but I honestly couldn't control my emotions when a reminder of the past entered the castle and upset me so horribly with his presence! I beg you mistress; have mercy on this flawed, pitiful feline that serves you!" When Grell finished speaking, I was completely taken aback at his desperate pleading. I was even more surprised by my own reaction: I laughed. It was just some girlish titters bubbling up in my throat that, within seconds became full out boisterous cackles.

[Grell's POV]

She's...laughing? Oh god, what does that mean; did it work or not? Why is she laughing? My body trembled in frightened anticipation as I kept my subservient pose, not daring to raise my head up a single millimeter lest I give her a reason to lash out at me.

After a few minutes, Madame Red calmed down and wiped the mirthful tears from her eyes. Grell hadn't moved an inch and continued cowering in fear at her feet; a fact which gave the female redhead immense schadenfreude. "Alright; since you asked so nicely, I suppose I can be merciful...this time" came the queens' sickly sweet reply. The Cheshire felt a tiny bit of relief wash over him at her words. Perhaps it would be different this time and Grell could find a nice dark corner to hide in and wait for everything to blow over. "Of course, I do have one teensy, itty bitty favor I'd like from you for this act of generosity". 'What could she possibly want me to do now; put out?' Grell asked himself.

Unfortunately, that was exactly what the Red Queen had in mind for her kitten.

... _a disaster...catastrophic, cataclysmic, cata-most-awful-occurrence-the-castle-has-ever-known!_... _ **Don't you think you're being a little melodramatic?**_... _No, I do not;_ you're _the one acting blasé about this whole situation!_...

The voices became clearer as Naomi slowly regained consciousness; opening her eyes, she saw the ceiling of her bedroom and a head of black hair in her peripheral vision. "Oh, she's awake!" exclaimed one of the voices; the owner of which was revealed to be Heather. Said woman had a guilty expression as she looked down at her friend lying in bed. "I am so, so, _so_ sorry Naomi; I was only trying to help Undertaker with his emotional shit and instead I severely hurt you both!" Heather cried, frantic. Naomi blinked a few times and slowly sat upright. "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions". "And now Sōgi is the one who suffers damnation" Naomi added, her voice low and emotionless. "Is there any hope of saving him? And what exactly happened to Hatter; can you explain it to us?" asked Claude, a hint of concern in his voice. Naomi rubbed the heels of her palms over her eyes and lightly dragged her hands over her face tiredly. "Yes, I can elaborate; to put it simply, mine and Heathers' spells created a volatile reaction. Either spell on its own would've been sufficient in easing Undertakers' pain, but together..." Naomi trailed off, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "I cast a short term amnesia spell so his mind could be unencumbered and thus allow him to more easily heal from exposure. Meanwhile, Heather..." Naomi led off, shooting a glare at the purple haired woman.

"Cast a spell to drain the energy from his negative emotions" Heather supplied the remainder of the sentence. "And now, Hatter is trapped inside his own head slowly being consumed by all of his loneliness, heartache and turmoil. _My_ spell was either cancelled out or possibly warped into having a negative effect, further worsening the entire situation". "As to whether or not there's any hope...if we can find the object of his despair and bring it back to the castle, that could bring Sōgi out of his comatose state". "And before you ask, I'm pretty sure the object is a person if what he said before falling unconscious is any indication". "Now we only need to figure out exactly who is that person" Claude commented dryly. "Easier said than done, Faustus; the only items we found on his person that don't directly belong to him were a red collar and a scrap of fabric" Heather retorted, a bit snappishly. "What did the fabric look like?" Everyone in the room turned toward whoever spoke the question; Sebastian stood - still wrapped up in his cream colored blanket - staring expectantly at the group for an answer. "Pink and purple horizontal stripes; why?" Sebastian let out a heavy sigh, his expression becoming one of relief and annoyance. "I know who they are, but it's finding them that proves problematic. It's Grell Sutcliff, the Cheshire Cat". "You mean that crimson feline who used to chase after you?" "The very same; I fear one of us will have to become bait to lure him out".

"Actually...someone just told me where we can find Grell" came Naomi's sudden statement.

... _abomination_... _unnatural_... _unnecessary_... _unwanted_...

Grell shot up in bed awake, panting lightly; everything was blurry and out of focus, despite his attempts to clear it away by blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes. Suddenly, it occurred to him why the blurriness still lingered. Feeling around for his glasses, Grell slid them on after discovering them hanging by the chain around his neck. Once his view was clear, he did a quick scan around the room to figure out his surroundings.

Right away, Grell knew it was a bedroom and based on the decor it looked like _his_ bedroom. But wait; that couldn't be right...as far as he was aware, Grell _had_ no home. So, in whose home was he currently residing? Too curious for his own good, the cat stood up from the bed and decided to explore whatever lie beyond the red room. Gripping the knob, Grell turned it slowly and opened the door with the same ginger speed; when a wide enough space had been made, Grell slipped through and closed the door behind him just as stealthily. Now he was in what appeared to be a hallway; glancing side to side and listened intently for any sounds that meant someone else was in the immediate vicinity, Grell leisurely strolled down the left end of the corridor when he concluded that the coast was clear.

A few minutes passed of the Cheshire cat just walking aimlessly in this strange dwelling...which he was instantly finding out to be far much larger than he originally thought. The silence gave Grell a weird mix of mild panic and...emptiness? For whatever reason, besides being too quiet, the lack of noise caused a dull ache in his chest. At first he thought it was the all too familiar solitude of his wayward existence, but _this_...this was different. The lonely feeling carried a hint of longing and guilt that he'd never experienced before. What could it mean? Grell tried to think of where those emotions may have originated, but the only thing that came of it was the beginning of a severe headache and a darkened void in his minds' eye.

He couldn't remember. And Grell didn't even know what it was he had forgotten. Why did that make him sad? It wasn't like he was missing anything important...right?

Just then, a memory popped into his head.

 _Inside a magnificent palace, sitting on a bronze throne with a semi ornate pattern was a man dressed in lavender and yellow robes. He had short purple hair, golden amber eyes and caramel brown skin; in his lap lie...Grell?_

' _It's a Cheshire cat, not a freak_ ' _Soma's accented voice stated matter-of-factly to a smaller, blurred figure standing across from him_.

'That's right; I was living with the Duchess, Soma for a time' Grell realized, speaking to himself. The next few scenes that played themselves out in his memories were of the Duchess and his cook, Agni chastising the indistinguishable figure for 'wasting food'. It didn't seem like they intended to do so; accidents happen, people drop things. Agni had shoved a curry bun into their mouth; they ate it and even commented that it tasted good. Unfortunately, something terrible happened...the unknown person began rapidly growing in size, resulting in the three of them egressing from the palace to avoid being crushed. They burst through the roof and ended up destroying the entire building. The image instantly distorted and faded back into the darkness; almost as if his memories were a film reel and it had gotten to a section of frames that were damaged beyond saving. Making that part of the strip lost to the ether of his subconscious. But if that were the case, why didn't either of them check on him?

Something really strange was going on, and not the usual strangeness that always happens in Wonderland.

While pondering the issue, Grell hadn't noticed at first that the area around him had changed. Snapping back to reality, his bright green eyes were met with forest green walls and the telltale furnishings of a kitchen. In the center of the room was a large island counter; sitting innocently on the island on a platter was a cheesecake. Grell instinctively licked his lips and practically pounced on the unguarded dessert. When was the last time he'd eaten? It had to have been at least a day or two. Either way, the cat gave it no more thought as he submitted to his more baser needs and took a giant bite out of the cake. Immediately, the creamy flavor hitting his tongue nearly drove Grell into a devastating mouthgasm. "Oh stars above, that is _to die_ for!" Grell exclaimed in joy after swallowing the first mouthful. In no time at all, Grell was feverishly consuming more of the delicious pastry; it was almost gone when a voice chimed in, halting the Cheshire cat in his tracks.

" _Someone_ was certainly hungry" the voice chuckled, teasingly. The voice didn't belong to anyone he recognized, although that wasn't saying much since his memory was full of gaps. "Well, aren't you going to turn around; I would prefer to greet my guests properly". Grell hesitated for a moment before slowly rotating to face whomever was speaking to him. As soon as he laid eyes on the woman, he relaxed a fraction and his expression instantly transformed into one of surprise and slight confusion. The woman in front of him was of a similar ethnicity to the Duchess, but she dressed in a very plain white dress and looked more like a maid than anything else. She also had long black hair and warm honey colored eyes just like the Duchess. And although she didn't quite look it, this woman was definitely older than Soma; possibly older than Agni, but with the cook it was harder to tell since he was a natural whitette. "Are we having a secret staring contest?" the woman asked playfully, hoping to snap the redhead out of their stupor. "Oh, no I'm sorry- I just, uh...I couldn't help wondering if you might be at all related to the Duchess Soma" came Grell's nervous reply. At first, she cocked her head to the side shooting him a questioning look; after a moment or two, she realized who they were talking about. "You mean that purple haired royal with the pepper happy cook; oh no, not at all. First off, he's Indian and I'm black. Secondly, I really only know of the Duchess from stories one of my friends told me; we haven't actually met before".

"This...isn't his rebuilt palace?" The woman shook her head 'no', a contemplative frown marring her features. "My sweet rose, this castle has been here for several years; I should know because...this is my home". Grell stared at her warily, trying to understand the meaning to her words. "Then, that would make you...?" asked Grell, trailing off and oddly afraid of the answer. "The White Queen, but you can call me Agatha" she supplied with a small smile.

All of a sudden, Grell was hyper aware of the fact that he had so casually waltzed into a queens' kitchen and helped himself to what may very well have been _her_ dessert and hers alone without any regard for potential consequences. Grells' face burned hotly with embarrassment at his own gluttony and his stomach churned painfully; from guilt and shame or eating almost an entire cheesecake in one sitting, he wasn't sure. Likely a bit of both given the situation. Then, as if on autopilot Grell ran to the sink and began retching violently; Agatha was right behind him in an instant holding his hair and rubbing his back soothingly. When he finally finished vomiting, Grell kept his head down and eyes closed and wishing with all his might that he could just disappear.

 _...worthless, ungrateful excuse for a human being; can't you do anything right?!..._

Tears slipped out between closed lids and the Cheshires' body shook from silent sobs. Agatha released the blood red mane and went over to retrieve a dish towel from a drawer. Walking back over to the sink, she turned on the faucet, soaked it under the stream of cold water and wrung out the excess. After turning off the tap, Agatha gently pushed Grells' glasses up to the top of his head to allow better access and used the cloth to wash his face. Finally, he managed a timid question in response to such tender treatment. "Why are you being so nice to me?" It struck her as odd that Grell would ask that but gave an answer nonetheless after completing her task. "Other than the fact it's the right thing to do, why wouldn't I; you are clearly very distressed and I want to make you feel better". At her statement, new tears formed and came out in thick streams, his sobbing became more audible and instinctively he threw himself into Agatha's arms. 'Sweet rose...whoever has hurt you so greatly...shall pay dearly' the White Queen silently vowed, returning Grells' embrace in a firm hug.

With no effort at all, Agatha scooped up Grell and carried the weeping feline back to his room. When they arrived, she gently set Grell down on the bed and sat next to him resuming holding the redhead and doing her best to sooth him.

A few hours later, Grell woke up again to the smell of cooking food. Rubbing his eyes to get rid of the slight stickiness of dried tears, he could just make out several familiar, blurry shapes. The sound of heels clicking on tile flooring alerted him that he wasn't alone; the form in front of Grell cleared up instantly to reveal Agatha, having slipped his glasses on his face. "Hello my dear rose; I made cinnamon sugar waffles" Agatha greeted cheerily. "Please try to eat a little slower this time, I don't want you getting sick again". Rising to his feet, Grell hesitantly made his way to the island and took a seat where she had set a plate of waffles and a glass of juice. "You looked so peaceful curled up in my lap, I didn't want to wake you up so I made a nest for you while I cooked". Grell glanced over his shoulder to see that a large cushion and blankets lie on the floor from where he stood up. Picking up one of the waffles, Grell took a small bite and began to eat; instantly, his eyes doubled in size at the flavor of the breakfast item. Then, all of a sudden...that emptiness returned and the subsequent dull ache in his heart became incrementally sharper. "Grell, what's wrong; you're on the verge of tears again". Swallowing the bit of food first, he replied, "this taste; it's so familiar, yet I can't figure out where I know it from. And for some reason, that depresses me". "Also, how did you know my name; I don't recall giving it to you". "I learned of your identity through my friend and the trio of visitors that brought you to this place". Grell wasn't sure what to make of that statement; ignoring the feeling it gave him, he resumed eating what Agatha had provided to him.

A short while later, after finishing what he could stand to keep down, the White Queens' expression became very serious and the friendly air immediately evaporated between them. "Grell, I need your help with something extremely important" said Agatha, breaking the terse silence. "My help; what can _I_ possibly do...except screw it up even worse" Grell replied sadly, ears flattened against his head and eyes cast downward. "Trust me, rose; you are exactly who I need for this particular crisis". "Now follow me please and I will take you to his room". Agatha flitted away from the table rather quickly, resulting in Grell nearly toppling over the bar stool to follow her lead. Sprinting to keep up with her long strides, Grell tried calling out, asking where she was taking him and who this man was that she referred to; sadly, his inquiries fell on deaf ears. When they finally reached the door, Agatha turned to Grell, draped an arm over his shoulders and took the knob in her grasp. "What I am about to show you...it is not your fault Grell" Agatha stated plainly in a serious tone. This confused the Cheshire; at the same time, the Queens' statement caused a sickening suspicion of dread to wash over him. 'Why would she say something like that if her crisis involved some random man that I've presumably never met before' the redhead silently pondered. When the door was thrown open, Grell would have collapsed from shock were it not for Agatha supporting him against her side.

"Adrian..."

Inside, Naomi sat in a chair across from the bed looking every bit worse for wear as she felt. Lying in bed, under her watchful observation was a man that, for all intents and purposes resembled a corpse. Acting on autopilot, Grell rushed into the room and went straight to his silver haired lover. Naomi briefly locked eyes with the White Queen; receiving a curt nod to an unspoken question, she tiredly rose to her feet and took a couple steps forward. Lifting her hand up as high as she could muster, Naomi made a chopping motion and said, "Kotowaru" before crumbling in a heap on the floor. Agatha hurriedly scooped the kanjōkō in her arms and carried her out of the room to take her to the healing chambers.

Meanwhile, Grell had climbed into bed and moulded his body as close as physically possible to the other mans'. After several weeks of not seeing his beloved madman, Grell could scarcely believe that this sickly cadaver was Hatter. Aside from being cold as death - which Grell noticed almost right away - his flesh had a waxy appearance. That wild mane of silver now lie completely limp and lifeless, strong features which protected those he cared for had become weak and brittle; there were even signs of him beginning to waste away. Undertaker's already naturally slender form was becoming emaciated as evidenced by the slight sunken-in look of his cheeks and more noticeable protrusion of his bones at various places of contact. The sight of his boyfriend in such a deteriorated state of health made Grell sick to his stomach; once again driven to tears, the redhead did his best to warm up Hatter by cuddling close to him and sharing body heat. Burying his face in the crook of his neck, Grell spoke in a broken voice, "I am _so_ sorry Adrian; you're on the brink of death because I acted like such a pathetic, craven kitten. I should have told you from the start: William threatened my life with that set of pruners he carries around and forced me to leave. I was just so terrified, I did what he wanted; he ripped my collar off, he told me that it was all of your home, not mine. He said I didn't belong...called you a fool for taking me in". "I'll understand if you never forgive me for acting so selfishly, but please... _please_ get better and wake up from whatever is ailing you. I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you because of _me_ " Grell begged through his heavy sobs. "I'm so sorry" repeated Grell, saying it over and over like a mantra.

 _A pair of black boots trudged through the snow, easily standing out against the fresh white powder covering the ground like a blanket. The night sky above partially cloudy, allowing the moon to shine through while new snowflakes came down generously and adding to what had already fallen prior the setting sun. The Mad Hatter walked at a steady pace, no clear destination in mind...only a mission to locate something of extreme importance and the resolve to see it through to the end. The problem was, Hatter wasn't one hundred percent sure of what he was searching for exactly. All that came to mind were supremely vague flashes and comforting feelings brought on by the presence of someone, special._

 _His memories had gradually improved in clarity, but Undertaker still didn't fully recognize what or who was missing in his life. Another strange phenomenon - other than the fact that, no matter how long or how far he walked...Undertaker never seemed to grow fatigued - were the presence of voices. Hatter could hear them clear as day, but whenever he tried to find whoever was speaking...nothing. He briefly considered the possibility that he may be going totally insane and had lost what little mind he had. Yet, at the same time the voices were of small comfort to the silverette. Even if they might be figments of his active imagination._  
-

 _Someone was with him; Hatter always seemed able to tell when one of his 'invisible guests' had decided to grace him with a visit. That was what he decided to call them since they arrived sporadically and he never had any luck finding them. Must be invisible somehow, he reasoned._

 _'I don't know if you can hear me, but I can't tell you how much it means to me that you're here; even with the circumstances being what they are. Truth be told, I get homesick on occasion. It isn't anything against the others...Naomi's a wonderful companion...in_

 _both_ _forms. The Chibi sisters, Heather, Agatha: they're all very nice and Claude is one of the best things to ever happen to me; I just wish I could somehow go back...even if only for a short visit. I even sometimes miss that annoying redhead; I suppose Grell would make a good friend, if he could calm down for a few minutes and stop shamelessly flirting with every man that pays him the slightest bit of attention. But enough about the past'. 'Undertaker...when this child is born, I'd like you to be their godfather; I think you'd make a marvelous uncle'._

 _The guest, whom he automatically remembered was Sebastian the White Rabbit, sounded so wistful. When he spoke of not being able to go home, that had confused Hatter; the Rabbit did whatever he pleased, so what stopped him from returning to Wonderland? He also became a bit puzzled at the mention of an unborn child. Sebastian Michaelis, pregnant? Undertaker didn't very much doubt the possibility of a man bearing a child; in Wonderland, just about_ _anything_ _could happen. No, what was more significant was the fact that Hatter couldn't recall ever noticing Sebastian even being in a relationship...much less having gotten knocked up. Time was strange in Wonderland, but...he wasn't_ _in_ _Wonderland; not right now. So...how long had it been since he first entered this unknown forest?  
_ _-_

 _At first, it had only been passing voices drifting by on the wind; there was a guest in the vicinity, but they had yet to speak to him. Perhaps they fell asleep; just like the Dormouse, Hatter mused to himself._

 _'Sōgi...whatever happens to me, I will do everything I can within my power to make sure that you come out of all this fucked up, emotional shit. I don't know exactly how aware you are of your surroundings, but understand this: I am currently using my own soul to keep you alive. Basically, I'm acting as a humanoid battery. However...all this effort will be for naught if you give up; a lot of people would be really sad if you died. Me included...so,_

 _please_ _...continue to fight, continue to move, continue to do...whatever it is that will ensure your survival of mind'._

 _The formerly silent guest was female, Hatter knew that much; beyond that, he had no clue as to who she was. But just like Sebastian, she sounded so sad; begging even. Did something happen to him? That would be most likely given the context of what she said to him...but what? His recollection of recent events had only restored itself to a certain point; the rest was still mired in a sort of fog. And, of course Hatter would do as she asked, for Undertaker was never really one to refuse a lady.  
_

 _Even though it felt as if he were going in circles, Undertaker hadn't faltered in his pace of traversing the snow laden forest. Every so often, the silver haired man would gaze up at the sky, if only to allow his eyes something to focus on that wasn't blinding whiteness. The moon was always full but changed positions; a fact that told him he had been in this particular situation for days. Mostly everything stayed the same; the trees, the sky...the solitude. Only his footprints and the temperature were what showed constant change. Hatter didn't mind the wintry environment; more often than not, he preferred it as one of his favorite types of weather. Unfortunately, even the most hardy of men have a limit and Hatter was approaching his._

 _Alongside the steady growing chill in his bones, Hatter was also combating the icy sensation of hopelessness in his heart. He had yet to find the missing piece of his soul - that's what he decided to call the unknown object - and that was taking a toll as much as the freezing snow storm. It almost felt like an eternity since the beginning of his endless journeying and the Mad Hatter started to question what he was even doing all of this for...or who, for that matter. There had been no more guests or at least, no more pleasant conversation to take his mind off things. The gentle falling of flakes was turning into a harsh flurry of ice and the hole in his heart persisted in adding to his suffering._

 _Maybe, a short rest wouldn't hurt; Undertaker had yet to experience any severe symptoms of exposure...he could just stop for a few minutes and then get right back to wandering in circles down the same path over and over again._

 _..._

 _Suddenly, the silverette felt pressure on his body; as if someone were embracing him. There was also a strangely, vaguely familiar warmth slowly starting to envelop Hatter. Along with that, a barely audible voice reached his ears and had spoken something to him. Alas, the voice was far too hollow and distant to really discern any dialogue. Though it was extremely difficult to make out what they said, something inside him told Hatter that this new guest could help him; in what way, Hatter wasn't sure._

 _'I am_ so _sorry Adrian; you're on the brink of death because I acted like such a pathetic, craven kitten. I should have told you from the start: William threatened my life with that set of pruners he carries around and forced me to leave. I was just so terrified, I did what he wanted; he ripped my collar off, he told me that it was all of your home, not mine. He said I didn't belong...called you a fool for taking me in'. 'I'll understand if you never forgive me for acting so selfishly, but please..._ _please_ _get better and wake up from whatever is ailing you. I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you because of me'. 'I'm so sorry'._

 _This new guest was speaking to him; the words coming through crystal clear. Whoever they were, they sounded so...broken. And...they knew his real name: Adrian. His chest burned with an ache of longing, completeness and...love? Could it be possible the newest guest was the person he'd been searching for? Hatter couldn't think straight, or rather...not at all; his skull felt like it would burst from the intense surge of pain that instantly came about. He was rapidly becoming overwhelmed from the rush of emotions: elation, confusion, sorrow, guilt, recognition, relief._

 _Before he knew what was happening, Hatter fell forward from an abrupt wave of fatigue; white transformed into black and the icy winter winds began to lessen._

* * *

The body jolted slightly as if waking up from a falling-down dream; pale lids opened, revealing dull, glassy green eyes. The other occupant of the large mattress was woken as a result of movement and turned toward the source to investigate. Grell's own jade green orbs widened in surprise at seeing his beloved awaken. Hatter visibly struggled to attempt sitting up when the door opened and multiple people filed into the room. All of them appeared to be women: one of average height and the other three being much shorter but around the same vertical range. Grell stayed completely quiet while the small group was tending to Hatter; from the looks of things, they were checking him over similarly to how doctors and nurses would examine someone in a hospital.

[Undertakers' POV - Narrative]

Opening my eyes, everything that reached my field of vision was extremely blurry and unfocused. My body felt stiff and weak, but at least I could feel something at all. I barely recognized that other people had entered the room...until I felt a pair of hands lifting me up into a sitting position. They may have been talking, to me or in general; I couldn't tell...all I heard was a dull, distant roaring like rushing water and their muted voices, too distorted to decipher what it is they were saying. I couldn't even speak; not that I would've possessed the strength to do so, but my throat was so dry I feared what may happen if I breathed too deeply. Whoever was in the room must have figured out I am temporarily incapable of communication and knew of my condition, because almost immediately...something cool and moist touched my lips. The wet tip of a finger slowly traced over my mouth and then the smooth edge of a cup replaced it, pressing gently against my lower lip. I opened my mouth a bit wider; the cup tilted forward carefully to allow a small stream of water down my throat. Swallowing it down, the debilitating thirst was gradually ebbing away. The person holding the drink would pull it back in short intervals so I can breath between sips. I suspect also, to make sure I didn't gulp it down too fast in the process. Unfortunately, this is where my memory fails me yet again; only the events that happened next, mind you. My other memories, the ones that are more important were coming back to me fairly quickly...in reverse order for whatever reason. It took little time for me to become aware of everything that occurred recently: falling into a comatose state, hearing a sizable chunk of Sebastians' life story concerning his look-alike husband, meeting a few of those who live in this enormous castle...sinking through the surface of an icy lake, because...I was out searching for my- kitten. 'I should have told you from the start: William threatened my life with that set of pruners he carries around and forced me to leave'. That then-unrecognizable voice echoed in my mind, repeating part of what they'd said to me prior to my regaining consciousness. The presence I felt, that familiar source of warmth... Part of me wanted it to be true; to believe that I had seen the blurry, red speck of my kittens' fiery mane out of the corner of my eye. And yet...part of me refused to, disregarding the entire thing as wishful thinking. I wasn't really even sure what I saw specifically, if anything. I don't want to get my hopes up; there's only so much disappointment a heart can take.

Over the course of a few days, Hatter slowly regained his physical health with the help of the White Queens' healers and a special, modified nutrient supplement form of Upelkuchen. During his recovery, Grell stayed close by but had yet to speak again to the Mad Hatter; the tension between them was quite palpable and the Cheshire cat honestly didn't know what he could say to him. When the silverette was at a point that he was capable of communicating again, he decided to address the dragon in the room.

At the moment, Hatter was sitting in a conservatory of the castle with Sebastian watching the falling snow from the greenhouse windows. Grell was currently no where to be found, having been taken out by Heather and Claude for some fresh air. Between the two men was a companionable silence...broken by a seemingly random question from Hatter. "Was it a genuine offer?" Sebastian turned toward Undertaker with a look of slight confusion, "what offer?" Gaze fixed forward, Hatter replied "You said you thought I would make a marvelous uncle; that you'd like me to be the godfather of your baby". The rabbit instantly broke out in a deep red blush. "You- you heard all of that?" Sebastian shyly asked, looking anywhere but at the silver haired man. "Yes" the ravenette said after a few moments. "If you want to, that is". Undertaker turned to face Sebastian, brushing aside his bangs to reveal his eyes; "I'd be honored" said Undertaker, giving his friend a small smile. Sebastian returned the expression and briefly grasped a pale hand, giving it a light, friendly squeeze. "By the way, I missed you, too...and Grell only acted that way in part due to a life of being starved for love and attention". Sebastian said nothing else, but gave a curt nod of understanding.

Later that evening, Grell had been escorted to the library where the Mad Hatter sat patiently waiting for him. "Go on; your relationship won't get better if you don't talk" urged one of the chibi sisters in a harsh whisper; Grell had learned her name was Jasmine. Gently nudging him inside, Jasmine shut the doors behind him and left the two alone. Grell stood frozen in place for about a minute before willing himself to approach the other man. Head down, ears flattened back Grell walked slowly toward the leather couch and sat down at the opposite end, far away as he could get from him. There was a thick air of tension between them; crackling of flames in the fireplace the only sounds in the room. Finally, it was broken when Hatter spoke first. "Grell...I forgive you". The Cheshire cat turned sharply at the statement, completely stunned and confused. "What?"

"I heard everything you told me when I was in the ether". Instantly, Grell became red as a cherry: mortified and tears beginning to gather in his eyes. "I know that William is the one who chased you away; before the coma...I figured out it was him. I only wasn't aware exactly _how_ he did it. I'm not angry with you Grell; it broke my heart when you disappeared...but I will never blame you for that". Hatter shifted in his seat, now fully facing Grell; eyes visible and looking directly at the redhead, he continued to speak. "A life full of hatred and rejection is not conducive to a mindset that seeks out help before reacting to danger. And knowing what I know now...I think a part of me is actually relieved that you ran away. Because, if that long, floppy eared bastard harmed you or even..." Hatter choked back a sob at the mere consideration of that outcome, his sentence trailing off. Taking a few breaths to regain his composure, "I still love you kitten; I'll always love you and nothing can change that fact".

Grell couldn't stand it anymore; he lept at Hatter, landing in his lap and wrapped both arms around his waist clutching onto him for dear life. Slightly taken aback, Hatter quickly shook it off and returned the embrace; Grell broke out into heavy sobs, his thin frame trembling like a leaf. Face buried into the silverette's body, Grell didn't notice Undertaker starting to cry as well, out of joy and relief that his kitten was back in his arms.

That was how they found them: Grell lying on top of Hatter, both men locked in an embrace asleep and looking every bit a picture of serenity. Unfortunately, that only applied to the surface; yes, the couple were each vastly improved in their physical states of health...the emotional health, however left a lot to be desired.

[ _Sōgi, Grell...it's time to wake up_ ] Both men began to stir at the initial call of their names, but the redhead was a bit slower to rouse. Green eyes opened to the sight of an upside down feline face staring at him. [ _And before you ask, I'm doing much better since acting as a living battery but I'll be stuck as a cat for awhile given this form is less demanding energy wise_ ] Hatter was given a short explanation of how it worked to use your soul like a source of life support for another living being...as well as the toll it takes on the host. "What could be so important as to interrupt our quality time?" [ _Yours and Grells' healing session of course_ ] "What healing session; I thought we checked out fine" Hatter questioned, confused. [ _Physically, yes; it's your emotional states I am most concerned about. As a kanjōkō, it is my duty to ensure you and Grell are just as healthy emotionally as you are physically_ ] "Hatter, who you talking to?" came Grell's sleepy question. "Naomi; who else?" Waking up a little, Grell blinked a few times and looked around a bit; from what he could see, there was no one in the room with them...except a black cat sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Hatter...the only other thing in this room is that raven furred kitty; last time I checked, four legged cats don't talk" Grell said slowly, slightly worried Undertaker was really losing his sanity. [ _Well, that just shows how little you know of the world; I swear, Wonderland is like some kind of vacuum or something_ ] More alert now at the sudden voice speaking to him, Grell stared at the blue eyed feline with scrutiny. [ _I am Naomi and yes, I am communicating with you in plain English; I am indeed a person- specifically, a neko/kanjō hybrid and it's only due to circumstances outside my control that force me into my furry form. If you want, I can get you up to speed about everything that's been going on around here; the only downside is it causes temporary headaches because of the huge rush of information being absorbed_ ] "Well, it would certainly save time; go ahead". Grell gave his assent; Naomi touched a paw to the center of his forehead. Closing her eyes, she began purring in concentration and mentally sharing the details of various events to the redhead.

Grell winced in pain at first; as soon as the string of events played out surrounding Hatter's decline, Grell felt like shit. He was responsible for causing so much suffering to his boyfriend; part of him thought he didn't deserve such a wonderful man who loved him so genuinely, that he didn't deserve to be alive at all. Fully enmeshed in his own self-loathing, Grell didn't realize he was crying again...or that they had started moving. With the others' help, the couple were being escorted to the indoor gardens.

It wasn't until an unknown feminine voice cried out that the Cheshire cat became aware of his surroundings.

"Oh my god, it's ab-soil-utely horrible! It's atrocious, it's a crime against plant-manity!" Green eyes snapped open in anger at her statements and was about to give her a piece of his mind, when a vine suddenly pressed lightly against his lips. "Calm down, kitty; I meant your aura". Grell's anger instantly faded and shifted to confusion; the vine connected to a massively sized plant with a head resembling an oyster in shape and facing his direction despite its lack of eyes. "Yes, I am talking to you out loud; no, I do not care one iota with whom you pollinate and thirdly, my name is Camilla". The Mad Hatter and the Cheshire cat were both stunned to silence at a sentient plant conversing with them like a person. "Oh, before we get started; do either of you have any emotional attachment to your clothes?" Ivy suddenly chimed in, looking up at the men expectantly. They exchanged a confused look, not quite sure where the question was supposed to be going. "My natural enzymes and other subsequent fluids have a very interesting side effect on clothing fibers; as such, the healing sessions are opted to be done in a...natural state" explained Camilla.

It didn't take long for Undertaker and Grell to get the meaning of her statement. The former wasn't particularly bothered by this, while the latter had begun internally panicking and feared exposure.

[ _Why don't we give them some privacy?_ ] The group gave nods of agreement and filed out of the greenhouse until only Hatter and the Cheshire cat were left with Camilla.

"Kusuguri is not always our first response solution to mental and emotional problems; besides" Camilla posed with a vine to her forehead like a hand, "I couldn't possibly take both of you at once!" Undertaker laughed at the innuendo of the living plants' statement. Meanwhile, Grell was trembling and looked exactly as he did when Hatter first found him. "Please don't be afraid" a soft voice spoke to the crimson cat. From behind Camilla's large pot, a woman stepped out and approached Grell. "My name is Juniper; if you'd like, I can be the facilitator of your emotional healing". The woman identified as Juniper had pale, greenish tinted skin, long burgundy colored hair and kind eyes with pastel pink irises. Her body looked human enough, for all intents and purposes...yet, there was an ambiguity to her features.

Not completely female, not completely male.

Just like Grell.

"Anatomically speaking, I'm basically a doll; shall we get started?" Grell still looked unsure and held onto Hatter's arm, ears flattened back against his hair. "We won't do anything but talk, if that's all you are comfortable with". Juniper gently loosened the felines' hold on the silver haired man and led them away, to a different area of the greenhouse. Not a minute later, another feminine voice spoke up, this time from behind the Mad Hatter. "Hi! You must be Hatter" the woman said, her voice louder and more blatantly cheerful than Juniper's. He rotated in place, coming face to face with a second plant-like, humanoid lady. "Name's Holly; I'll be helpin' out with your mental healing" said Holly, a slight accent in her tone that Undertaker couldn't quite place. Holly had similarly colored 'skin' as Juniper, but much shorter and lighter colored hair in a ponytail. A very pale shade of blonde. Her irises were also a medium blue hue comparable to ocean water.

Eager and excited to start the game they would be playing, Holly dragged Hatter to a curtained off area where he could take off his clothes and patiently waited for him to be ready. "How do you possibly know what I need; would you be of a similar nature to Juniper?" asked Hatter, removing garments and placing them in a provided basket on the ground. "More or less; I also happen to be a natural at reading people without any special clairvoyance. Grell is going to get a safe space where he can be vulnerable and no one will take advantage of or hurt her. You, on the other hand...you need an escape from all the psychic dross, from yourself". After undressing, Hatter poked his head out and held the rest of the curtain fabric in place to cover himself. "I don't suppose you've seen too many members, have you?" the silverette asked, shyly glancing away from Holly. "There's really no need ta be bashful; of your dick _or_ your overall bodily appearance". "I have never done anything like this before, so pardon my reluctance". "Duly noted" replied Holly, boredly and crossing her arms over her chest, "Now come on out and show me what I'm workin' with here!"

Dropping the cloth, Undertaker took a broad step forward and braced himself for whatever reaction may come of the plant lady's observance.

A long, slow whistle was the least he expected to hear.

"Well, well, well, seems like Miss Kitty'll get a lotta fun outta that vine whenever she decides she's ready to do the do with you!" "Can we just move onto something else?" Hatter asked, slightly embarrassed. "Alright, alright" Holly rolled her eyes and walked up to the silverette, "the first step to kick off our session is... _this_!" Holly playfully shoved him on the forearm and sprinted away, shouting, "Tag, you're it!" Caught off-guard by the action, Hatter proceeded to run after the sassy female.

[With Grell and Juniper]

"Tell me what troubles you, Grell; anything spoken will remain between us, barring words that indicate the need for immediate intervention". "Such as?" "Something involving a risk of self-harm. Beyond that, I would simply encourage you to open up to your pollinator about the issue" Juniper gently explained to the Cheshire Cat.

A tense silence settled between the two and Grell was internally debating whether or not to reveal the events of that day during his captivity with the Red Queen. "I...I don't know if I can; I'm not sure I remember. And even if I did" Grell left off the rest of his sentence. "Do you believe someone you love and care about will come to harm if you revealed such information?" asked Juniper, softly. Grell only nodded an affirmative and shook with restrained sobs. "Would you permit one of Camilla's bulbs to perform a soul reading?" At being mentioned, a smaller version of Camilla sprouted up and greeted the two redheads. "Hi there, I'm Calla; couldn't help overhearing that you" Calla pointed a vine at the Cheshire cat, "want to show rather than tell".

"Correct, Calla" Juniper confirmed, "but I fear we may be dealing with serious psychological trauma. Are you strong enough to endure the negative energies' effects?" The sentient plant seemed to be thinking over its choice, its head pointed at the ground. "I think, just in case...I'm going to call for backup". Calla said nothing else for a full minute and then...

Four more plants popped up from the earth out of nowhere and introduced themselves.

"Daisy".

"Honeysuckle".

"Daffodil".

"Zinnia".

"Reporting for duty!" all four exclaimed in unison.

"There we go; five of us should be enough to evenly distribute the bad mojo without causing lasting harm" Calla declared to Juniper and Grell. "Very well. Are you ready to proceed, Grell?" asked Juniper. Said feline darted their eyes from the other to the group of talking flora. Each one exhibited characteristics of their specific plant namesake, but also shared traits of all the others. They appeared to be related offspring of the same base material entity. "Will it hurt?" asked Grell, unsure of his decision. "Well, it will hurt more if you resist; please try to relax and we'll be as gentle as possible" Zinnia explained, sympathetic to the cat's reluctance.

With a heavy sigh, "Just...get it over with; the faster this gets done, the faster I can move on". "As you wish" the flower squad spoke in unison again. Calla, Zinnia, Daisy, Honeysuckle and Daffodil each extended a vine, touched it to the Cheshire Cat's forehead and began to probe through his memories and emotions in search of the dark secret hidden inside.

* * *

Most of the surroundings were dark, but a few shapes could be distinguished from the rest. Two redheads: Grell and a more obviously-feminine person that had the upper part of their face obscured by shadows.

Grunts of pain, a cruel voice speaking to Grell in his ear and a room that could easily have been mistaken for a dungeon.

An ear-piercing scream...and a sudden, shooting, agonizing pain.

* * *

When they finished looking into his soul, the quintet of flowers were a bit worse for wear and the crimson kitten was visibly trembling from, exertion? Recollection? Exactly what was currently going through his mind at the moment was difficult to discern. However, it was glaringly obvious the experience had caused Grell severe grief. "Grell" knowing that he was in a fragile state, Juniper softly broached the topic of what they were going to accomplish next, "what would you like to do now? You don't have to answer right away if it is too difficult". Grell only sit there in silence, unable to do much of anything.

And for what felt like ages, but was actually just thirteen minutes, Juniper patiently waited for the Cheshire cat to reply to her question. The group of plants were recovering themselves and had shared the information they learned with the humanoid woman.

"I feel so broken".

The words were so quietly whispered, it almost seemed like Grell hadn't talked at all. But Juniper heard in perfectly and was about to respond, when one of the buds piped up. "With time, support and love...you can become whole and healed" spoke Calla. "You're afraid of telling Hatter because you don't want him getting killed for his righteous wrath" Daisy added. At this statement, Grell nodded his head 'yes' before breaking down into tears and being gathered in Juniper's arms.

* * *

When Grell finally calmed down, Juniper had offered an alternate solution to the task of telling the Mad Hatter about his assault. Instead of confronting him directly, Grell would write it down on paper and leave the missive somewhere that Hatter could easily find it...or have it be delivered to him. The indirect reveal made Grell feel more comfortable about doing so and allowed the redhead a little time to be alone until they needed to discuss it.

So now, Grell lie in bed and curled up in a ball under the covers. The day wound up being so emotionally exhausting and they'd barely scratched the surface of repairing his psyche.

With Hatter, he had found a folded sheet of paper resting against his pillow. Opening it, he scanned the contents briefly and instantly recognized the handwriting as belonging to his precious kitten. Halfway through, however...revealed the reason for the letter in the first place.

' _During my time in the castle with the Red Queen, something happened; the short answer is that Madam Red...violated me_ '.

Those infernal words, brokenly uttered by Grell's voice inside Undertaker's head...feelings of vengeance and seething fury surged through his entire body. It felt as if he were completely numb and on fire at the same time. A deafening roar, like rushing water filled his ears and then...

"-tter, Hatter; snap out of it!" a voice urged, muffled and faraway. Blurry acid green eyes focused enough to see that two people were hovering over him. Blinking quickly a few times to clear his vision, Hatter could discern that they were likely twins due to having the same skin tone and wore matching expressions of worry. "We heard screaming and rushed right in!" one of the females cried. "Also, there was a noise like something got smashed" said the other female. Suddenly, Hatter groaned in pain when he tried to prop himself upright; his hand was bloody and purple, as if he'd struck his fist against a solid object. "My name is Rose and this is Jasmine; we're two of the chibi sisters" she introduced, gesturing to the other girl. Rose, Hatter noted, had short, bob cut blond hair and chocolate brown eyes. She wore a sleeveless black and white striped dress, pink lace up, thigh high boots, a gold and teal stone cuff bracelet, a forest green arrow pendant necklace and a pair of earrings shaped like calla lilies. The straps on her dress were about three inches wide and a space of at least six inches was showing between the edges of the outfit and the shoes.

Kneeling down, Rose cupped her hands around the damaged, pale appendage and began to use her healing magic. "I can mend about half of the injuries, but the rest of it has to repair itself". Jasmine saw the letter and picked it up, scanning it and quickly understanding what had happened. "Sister, it was a natural reaction to receiving horrific news" said the other twin, darting her gaze to the paper and handing it back to Undertaker. "The structural damage can easily be fixed; would you like to be alone after we patch up your hand?" Unlike her twin, Jasmine had red colored eyes and waist-length, dark slate blue hair. Her outfit consisted of a pink, sleeveless dress, but completely round at the bottom, similar to a reverse scoop neckline of a shirt. Underneath the dress, white pant-like stockings covered her legs and appeared to be held by garter belts. Simple black flats adorned her feet and a clown face and hands juggling four different colored balls was decorating the trunk area of the fabric. A kitty cat pendant, white wing earrings and a headband with a giant, white, blue eyed dove were the rest of her accessories.

The Mad Hatter said nothing for quite awhile, whether he was thinking or at a loss for words, Jasmine and Rose could only guess. Finally, he broke the silence, "What do I do now?"

The twins looked up simultaneously and shared a questioning glance. "We can check on Grell for you, see if he wants you with him or not. Otherwise, all else you can really do is just be there for your kitten" Rose advised, producing a first aid kit out of thin air and dressing the remainder of his wounds. "You'll get through this hardship; I believe in you two" Jasmine added.

* * *

Later that evening, the entire castle was gathered in the conservatory; Agatha, the Chibi sisters, Sebastian, Claude, Heather, Holly, Juniper and Naomi all had something important to discuss with the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter.

"Alright, who would like to go first?" asked Agatha. Immediately, Holly sprang to her feet and stretched her arm as far as it could physically go, straight into the air. Bouncing in place, she excitedly pleaded for her turn and to say what she had on her mind. Next to her, Juniper was pressing fingertips against the sides of her head in order to keep her composure, "I beg you; please allow Holly to speak first or we'll never hear the end of it!"

"Yes, Holly; go ahead" the White Queen granted her the floor, to which Holly brought her arm down and skipped toward the two men. "First and foremost, you" pointing to Hatter, "are an awesome platonic playmate. Second, I really don't feel like we got any progress made; we barely scratched the surface of your psychic boo-boos". Holly crossed her arms and pouted to make her point. Perking up after only a second, "So that's why I strongly think you and Grell should just stay here, with all of us. For at least a year". That last sentence was spoken quickly and in a sotto voice. "Holly!" Juniper admonished her girlfriend in a hiss. "What she means to say is" interjected Heather, pointedly, "you're free to leave if you so choose...we would just...really, really miss you".

Hatter's silence and posture betrayed little more than a neutral affect. But on the inside, he was a million miles away and only just registered what the conversation consisted of. His kitten was the same way: quiet, contemplative and seemingly neutral.

"May we speak now?" "Of course, Claude; Holly, are you done?" Agatha asked, looking to the blond plant lady. "For now" she replied, taking her seat next to Juniper. "Anyway" adjusting his glasses, "I understand that it may be a lot to ask, but your extended stay would benefit not just yourselves". The other ravenette male took over, "I have been homesick for quite some time; only recently was it beginning to have a significant impact on my health. And I'd really appreciate being able to catch up with you". [ _What do you say, Sōgi, Grell?_ ] the kanjokō asked, staring unblinkingly at Undertaker, scrutinizing his micro-expressions carefully.

They patiently waited for the pair's answer; after a couple minutes of wordless quiet, the Mad Hatter spoke in a tone that was fully devoid of any feeling.

"I think...it would be in our best interests to stay". Not a second later...

"Yippee!" Holly exclaimed, bounding over to Hatter and glomming onto him in a quasi-crushing hug. Releasing him, she went into a hyper-rant mode. "We are gonna have so much fun; I'll show you all my special stargazing spots, places where I like to soak up sun rays! Ohhh, you've gotta try my meatloaf; I've been learning how to cook..."

Whatever else might have been said, by Holly or anyone else, was lost to the silver haired man's ears as he inadvertently zoned out and focused his peripheral vision on the crimson feline at his right side.

'You shall have your vengeance, kitten; I swear it'.


End file.
